


Freak

by comeon_toparadise



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Anxiety Attacks, Blood and Injury, Everyone Is Gay, Explicit Language, Hybrids, Kim Hongjoong is a Brat, M/M, Park Seonghwa is Whipped, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 86,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25962412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comeon_toparadise/pseuds/comeon_toparadise
Summary: hongjoong is an extremely enigmatic character, so much so that no one around here really knows him or what he does.but that won't stop seonghwa.- crossposted on wattpad
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 136
Kudos: 305





	1. rainfall

Seonghwa had always liked the rain. As a kid he'd harboured this unusual affinity for it, always anticipating the downpour and the icy cool feeling it left on his exposed skin. During the colder months, his mother would frequently open the door to her son drenched to the bone, an impish smile on his face and his limbs dripping with rain.

Of course, she'd often gotten mad at him for it, because more often than not, his school bag and school supplies got affected by his rash decisions. But, her irritation never lasted long though, even when it meant investing in raincoats and waterproof bags whenever rainy season was near.

As the dark grey clouds rumbled overhead, the ominous growl of thunder slipping past the skies, Seonghwa frowned at the memory of his mother.

It wasn't that he didn't want to think of her, no. It was because she was dead, and thinking about her would've done no good for his already unstable mind.

" _It's okay to grieve_ ," was what his therapist frequently said during the sessions he'd had with the man months after his mother's passing. " _It allows for a healthier mindset..._ "

Seonghwa looked up at the twilight skies and shut his eyes as soon as he felt the first drops of rain pelting against his face. He had a grey sweater on, the hood doing next to nothing to shield his already damp black locks from the drizzling.

The rain had formed miniature pools on the granite roads which appeared as dark as they were unsettling. Raindrops rippled over the surface, distorting Seonghwa's empty expression as soon as he'd peered down at one of them.

With his hoodie starting to stick to his body, Seonghwa began his trek down the road. The water from the troubled skies were like icicles slicing down his skin, forming droplets on the curve of his eyelashes and dripping off his jaw. But Seonghwa didn't mind. He liked this.

The more it rained, the more it calmed him down. It made him feel weightless, trapped in between the roar of the skies and the serene rainfall that cascaded all around him. If people were around now, they would've thought him _mad_ or crazy, but Seonghwa...Seonghwa _needed_ this. With his life overflowing with a flood of responsibilities and values, Seonghwa just wanted to feel some type of freedom for once.

And that freedom was _here_.

He started to run, arms outstretched and palms wide open to feel the droplets that wove themselves within his fingers, soaking all the way through his sleeves and somehow warming his frozen heart. His sneakers mindlessly punctured the puddles on the roads as he bulldozed further and further into the calming downpour, the force creating drops that exploded like glittery fireworks and reflected off the dim moonlight.

Seonghwa continued to run, lungs burning and chest heaving until he unceremoniously came to a stop. With his pale hands firmly gripping his knees, he released hasty gasps and a satisfied, wet smile.

Until his peripheral vision caught sight of something in front of him.

Seonghwa couldn't help but cough at the realization, his lungs suddenly feeling a bit too _tight_ to sustain him. The adrenaline had caught up to him, and now he was more consciously aware of his disheveled, soaked appearance.

Sat on the steps leading to some old primary school and well protected from the rain was a boy who observed him with a blank stare that got all the blood rushing to Seonghwa's face.

"Nice run, huh?"

Seonghwa forced himself to stand more upright, coils of mild embarrassment tightening around his frame as soon as he'd recognized just _who_ the boy was.

It was _Kim Hongjoong_ , the guy with the orthodox fashion sense and the chestnut mullet. He often frequented Seonghwa's chemistry and biology classes but never really spoke to anyone, a quiet personality despite his outrageous clothing that Seonghwa didn't think anyone else other than him could pull off.

Now, Kim Hongjoong was donned in nothing but a white shirt and simple cargo shorts, the most _normal_ outfit Seonghwa had ever seen him wear.

Oh, and he also had some kind of hammer in his hand, a lollipop perched between the delicate curve of his lips. Which were now upturned.

"Take a picture. That _just_ might last longer," Hongjoong remarked.

Seonghwa cleared his throat, then cringed at the rough sound it made. "Uh... Hello."

Hongjoong twirled the hammer-like thing in his hands, his painted nails catching Seonghwa's eye despite the darkness. They were black and white, reminding Seonghwa of spiderwebs.

"Hello," Hongjoong repeated, looking far too amused in this situation.

Seonghwa, once again, started to feel ultra self-conscious of his soaked form. His fingers trembled and clenched, itching to _do_ something so they wouldn't appear so _idle_. So he pulled down his hood, but quickly realized that his hair was _also_ wet.

The windy atmosphere lapped at his face, competing strongly with Hongjoong's heated gaze.

More than his attention-grabbing clothes and his unpredictable hairdos, Hongjoong's eyes were what caught Seonghwa's attention the most ever since he'd taken notice of him.

They were slanted, sometimes lathered in eyeliner or some kind of stunning decoration, and they were this burnt gold with yellow flecks inside them that seemed to vary in intensity in accordance with whatever mood Hongjoong just so happened to be in.

And as Seonghwa feverishly combed his fingers through his hair to _fix it_ as much as he could for _whatever_ reason, Hongjoong's yellow eyes gleamed with more vibrancy through the darkness.

"Trying to impress me or something?" Hongjoong asked, but his tone made it clear he was joking. Or _not_ joking. Seonghwa couldn't really tell as he was too distracted with his buzzing thoughts and the harsh rainfall.

"I'm not -- " Seonghwa paused, once more taken aback by Hongjoong's strange eyes. "I-I should go."

As if on cue, the rain doused the roads with more strength, the bellowing thunder sending chills up Seonghwa's spine.

"Looks like the weather doesn't agree," Hongjoong said. His tone bordered on a tease, like he was only entertained by the series of events. It irked Seonghwa.

 _What_ _even_ was _he, anyway?_

"I should go," Seonghwa repeated, his voice much firmer.

"Stay."

Seonghwa, since the start, had always been healthier than most with stamina and stealth that lasted longer than most of his peers, allowing him to almost always score high in whatever physical activity he ended up doing. So why, _why_ did he suddenly feel like he couldn't breathe at that moment?

Seonghwa met Hongjoong's eyes, watching how the latter smirked at him. "What?"

"It's gonna rain even more," Hongjoong's smirk broadened, revealing sharp, pointy canines, "so you should _probably_ stay with me before you get sick."

 _I don't get sick_ , Seonghwa wanted to say, but kept his lips shut. Although more reserved than the general population, Seonghwa never really had any trouble talking to others.

Turned out Hongjoong was kind of the exception.

"I..." Seonghwa trailed off, his eyes observing the metal hammer in the shorter's grip. Hongjoong's painted fingers tapped over the hard surface, those steely yellow eyes of his unnerving Seonghwa to the core.

_What if he tries to murder me with it?_

Seonghwa had no idea where that thought came from, but a part of him still believed it. He barely _knew_ Hongjoong, and even when the shorter appeared harmless for the most part, Seonghwa didn't feel like pissing him off.

"Hmm?" Hongjoong's head cocked to the side. He looked like he was _testing_ him, trying to see how he'd react. Seonghwa didn't like it. It made him nervous.

"Scared of me?" Hongjoong questioned. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"No." Seonghwa spat, irritated by Hongjoong's smugness. He walked up the latter, having peer _up_ at him since he sat on the upper side of the steps. His irritation bubbled further.

"Wanna seat next to me?" Hongjoong asked, not seeming to mind just how _drenched_ Seonghwa's body was.

"...No," Seonghwa answered again, hating how unsure he sounded now. Upon closer inspection he could see the astounding red that coloured Hongjoong's cheeks, matching with his lips that were now stained with his lollipop.

Hongjoong shrugged, fiddling with his large hammer again like it was some _toy_. "Suit yourself."

"Why do you have a fucking hammer?" Seonghwa asked before he could restrain himself. The object made him more cautioned of where he sat, but at the same time he disliked having his back facing Hongjoong.

"You should take off your hoodie. Looks uncomfortable."

"No."

"A'ight."

Seonghwa turned his head, wiping his jaw with his sleeve to get rid of the remaining droplets that'd settled over his skin. He abruptly stopped though when he could feel those eerie golden eyes on him again.

"Don't look at me," Seonghwa uttered.

Hongjoong scoffed, quickly looking someplace else. "I _wasn't_ , though."

"You were."

"What if I like your face?"

Seonghwa's chest tightened, feeling oddly breathless once again. "Guys aren't my type."

"Never said anything about wanting to date you."

Seonghwa just huffed and turned around, inhaling steady breaths to calm his heartbeat. He'd never talked this much in one sitting before, even with his best friend. Yet, here he was, conversing with the creepy guy in his science classes that he'd regarded as someone even _less_ than a _stranger_.

"Want a lollipop? I'm in a giving kinda mood right now."

Seonghwa nibbled his upper lip. "No, thanks."

"Okay." Hongjoong's grip on his hammer tightened. "Can't say I didn't warn ya."

And then the entire structure gave way.

⛓️

**a/n** : p.s hongjoong isn't a vampire. thoughts?


	2. hammer

  
Seonghwa didn't react fast enough.

Instantaneously, he was submerged in water that swallowed him whole and filled his lungs to the brim. He tried to hold on to _anything_ , but was only met with more tumultuous waves and the raging rainfall.

With all the strength he could muster, Seonghwa pushed himself to the surface, trying to gulp in as much oxygen as he could. His hair was a mess, plastered to his skin and obstructing as much vision as it could.

Sharp streaks of lightning struck through the air, the windy atmosphere almost dragging Seonghwa down under once more.

With shaky palms he hurriedly pushed his hair out of the way, noticing just how _flooded_ his surroundings had became. What now remained of the old primary school was broken heaps of brick and metal, pieces of it floating all around him like deadweight.

 _What the fuck was happening?_ His mind screamed, only to then spot Hongjoong up ahead _in the sky_.

The shorter had that same hammer in hand, a rabid grin on his face that chilled Seonghwa to the bone. There was this -- this huge black _thing_ in front that was engaging in combat with Hongjoong, its large, frightening claws uncurled and aiming for him at a dangerous speed.

But Hongjoong was prepared as he swung that hammer right then. A force so great shook the skies, sending a _giant_ wave of water coming Seonghwa's way.

It flung and shoved him deeper into the flood, causing him to inhale an entire mouthful of salty liquid that almost snapped his jaw in half.

Panic inflamed Seonghwa's veins as he struggled to regain his footing and not _drown_ , but it was proving to be extremely difficult with every fateful second that passed.

Gravity was taking its toll on him. He felt himself starting to sink, starting to lose his agility with nothing but Hongjoong's catastrophic, _unbelievable_ fight with whatever that _thing_ was flashing behind his eyelids.

 _This is it_ , Seonghwa thought forlornly, _this is how I'm gonna die_.

But then he was sputtering and coughing, his clothes getting a tad bit too tight for him. On instinct, his limbs began to flail about, legs kicking at whatever he could to try and get himself out of the water -- only to realize something was _dragging_ him.

"What -- " Seonghwa gasped, coughing yet again.

"Chill out." The dragging got a lot more forceful.

"Hong -- Hongjoong -- "

Hongjoong tore Seonghwa's hoodie off with his _hands_ alone, before flinging Seonghwa someplace out the water that had somehow... _lessened_?

Seonghwa had no time to mourn over the loss of one of his favourite hoodies. He leant over the gritty ground in a defeated state, trying to stabilise his breathing and cough out the remaining water.

" _Fuck_ ," he cursed, clenching his eyes shut.

"...You okay?"

Seonghwa opened his eyes, realizing that Hongjoong was now standing over him, watching him with his brassy gold eyes. They looked a lot less intense and freakish now, but Seonghwa didn't give a damn.

" _You_ ," Seonghwa rasped, pointing a weak finger at the shorter male. "What -- what the fuck just happened there?"

"You got caught up in it, oops."

"That isn't an answer."

Hongjoong started walking away, so Seonghwa pulled himself to his feet to follow after him. He looked around at the ruins circulating them, but the strange thing was that the flood was _gone_.

"I s-saw you in the _sky_ ," Seonghwa's teeth clattered, resulting in him wrapping his arms around himself. "You had this shadow thing _fighting_ with you and -- and you _hit_ it. You hit it with that hammer and -- "

Hongjoong abruptly turned around, his glinting eyes, rosy cheeks and curved lips stopping Seonghwa in his tracks.

The shorter rose his arms and wriggled his fingers. "What hammer?"

"You -- " Seonghwa quickly realized that Hongjoong's hammer was no longer in sight. Fuck, he had to have be dreaming. He just _had_ to be. "You had a hammer -- "

" _What. Hammer_?" Hongjoong grinned, his pointy canines making an appearance.

"You _destroyed_ my hoodie."

"It was weighing you down."

"You almost _killed_ me."

Hongjoong shrugged. "Wrong place, wrong time."

He began walking again, and Seonghwa didn't know what came over him right then. He grabbed Hongjoong's shoulder and yanked him around, his body surprisingly easy to turn.

Hongjoong met his eyes, his brown eyebrows raised in defiance. "What?"

Seonghwa's throat dried, all of a sudden not knowing what to say. He probably looked like a big idiot right about now, drenched like some wet dog while Hongjoong still remained as unscathed as ever.

"I -- "

Hongjoong walked away.

"I'll tell everyone what I saw tonight!" Seonghwa suddenly exclaimed, an uncharacteristic sense of satisfaction washing over him as soon as Hongjoong paused in his footsteps. "I'll -- I'll tell everyone that you apparently can fly and you fight with shadow-like beings and destroy buildings with w-water."

Seonghwa found himself swallowing thickly when Hongjoong suddenly appeared before him, long eyelashes framing those insane eyes of his that almost pained Seonghwa to look at. But yet still, he couldn't avert his stare no matter how much he tried.

"I can apparently fly, fight with shadow-like beings...and destroy buildings with water," Hongjoong slowly repeated, somehow making Seonghwa's words sound even more stupid and more _idiotic_ than ever. "Try and make them believe you, _Seonghwa..._ "

Hongjoong's words were low and steady like a snake's hiss. They lured Seonghwa in and charmed him, unlocking buried memories of his mother rocking him to sleep with her bedtime stories and lullabies.

But then Hongjoong pushed him away, heading off into the night.

⛓️

  
"Dude... Are you okay?"

Seonghwa sniffed and rubbed his nose, hating how _stuffed_ and gross it felt. Fuck, just when he thought things couldn't get worse.

He looked up and locked eyes with his best friend. "I'm fine, Mingi."

Mingi didn't look convinced. He shut his locker, rolling the sleeves of his red plaid up to his elbow. "C'mon, I'll help you with your books."

Seonghwa shook his head, his fists subconsciously clenching when he remembered his and Hongjoong's _bizarre_ interaction last night. It kept him up all night, canceling any chances of him falling asleep because he just couldn't _fathom_ how a basic student that went to his school could _fly_ and fight with unusual beings.

"Hwa?" Mingi's low voice sunk Seonghwa back into the present. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

Seonghwa nodded. He didn't feel like talking, and his throat ached. Which was weird, because he'd never felt like this in a long time. _Sick_ , that is.

Luckily, the shrill bell vibrated down the halls at that moment, interrupting whatever Mingi was going to say. Seonghwa knew his friend meant well, but he wasn't in the mood to chat today. He was just too tired and confused.

But Mingi turned out to be quite adamant about carrying Seonghwa's books -- something he'd liked doing since they were kids -- and as they headed to their first class, Seonghwa continued to keep quiet whilst Mingi cheerfully greeted the other passing students.

As most people would say, they made an odd pair. Their tall heights seemed to be the only thing they had in common, as Seonghwa never liked to talk for long and Mingi was quite extroverted. Over the years, people (especially of the opposite sex) would try to capture Seonghwa's attention and weave their way into his life, only to get turned off by his highly reserved personality. The facade he put up was impenetrable, and his emotions were buried so deep that it often pushed others away.

But Seonghwa didn't mind it.

"Hey, did you do the bio homework for today?" Mingi asked, snatching Seonghwa's attention.

"Hmm?"

Mingi's eyes flashed with even more worry. He pushed open the door to Biology for Seonghwa to enter, his gaze never straying too far from his face. "The bio homework. You did it?"

Seonghwa blinked, searching the class for a particular pair of piercing, yellowish eyes.

"Seonghwa."

Seonghwa's eyes met with Hongjoong's from across the classroom. The shorter sat with his back casually pressed against his chair, his arms folded over his chest. He regarded Seonghwa with an infuriatingly cool expression.

This time, Hongjoong's nails were an azure blue, matching with his long woolen sweater. An assortment of necklaces adorned his neck, glowing and enunciating the icy gold of his eyes.

Someone touched Seonghwa's arm. "Hwa?"

Seonghwa continued to stare at Hongjoong, hating how the shorter appeared like some manic _fairy_ due to his outfit.

 _Manic fairy? What even_ \--

" _Seonghwa_." Mingi's voice pulled him out of his reverie. "Are you truly okay?"

Seonghwa braved another glance at Hongjoong, only to see that the shorter wasn't even looking his way anymore.

"I'm fine." Seonghwa's voice came out gruff. He walked over to his desk, Mingi trailing closely behind him, only to see something idling on his desk that made him _freeze_.

A lollipop.


	3. feel better

_take it. it'll make you feel better~_

_ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ ｡☆_

_\- HJ_

Seonghwa didn't know how to react once he read through the small piece of paper that'd been attached to the lollipop. _Was this supposed to be a joke?_

He couldn't stop his eyes from drifting over to Hongjoong, a bit of agitation brewing within him when the shorter -- _once again_ \-- wasn't looking his way. At this point, it was clear Hongjoong was probably ignoring him.

"Ooh, a lollipop," Mingi remarked next to him. Seonghwa crushed the note with more force than necessary. He didn't know why he felt so... _angry_ , he just _was_.

Mingi sat beside him, swaying a little on his swivel chair. He reached out for the lollipop only for Seonghwa to grab it. "Okay -- it's yours. Got it."

Seonghwa sighed, his body aching with fatigue. "Sorry... You can have it."

"I was kidding." Mingi grinned, playfully jabbing Seonghwa at the side. "It was on _your_ table, so."

Seonghwa shoved the lollipop to one corner of his table, not wanting to seem all eager for it although he suddenly _craved_ for it, for whatever reason.

He shook the feeling off, however. There was no way he'd allow Hongjoong and his stupid lollipop get in the way of him maintaining his A average in Biology.

If only it wasn't easier said than done.

⛓️

  
Seonghwa stared out the window of his AP calculus classroom, watching droplets of rain haphazardly race down the surface, connecting and separating like opposite sided magnets. Since Mingi wasn't around, the seat next to him had been occupied by a short haired girl that was fortunately as quiet as him, which meant he didn't get disturbed.

All of his notes had been copied down and the equations solved, which left room for those invasive thoughts about a certain boy with a mullet.

Seonghwa felt inside his pocket and pulled out that lollipop and note, wondering what the heck Hongjoong had meant when he said it'd 'make him feel better'.

He kept thinking and thinking about it, igniting the attention of the stern, unlikeable calculus teacher, Mrs Shim. She'd asked him to answer a question, which normally Seonghwa wouldn't have had any problems with _if_ he'd actually been paying attention.

Nonetheless, it left him with a detention slip and even more anger directed towards the boy that'd caused it all in the first place.

⛓️

  
Lollipop clenched in his fist and lips pursed, Seonghwa met Hongjoong for the second time that day at the stairs that led to the lab rooms.

Hongjoong looked up once Seonghwa appeared, staring the dark haired boy down with amused eyes. Under this lighting, his eyes appeared a lot more faded, like distilled caramel.

 _Why are you thinking about that?_ Seonghwa's mind scolded. He cleared his throat, trying his best not to stare too much at Hongjoong's pants, _or_ at that half skirt thing he had going on.

"Hello," Hongjoong spoke, painted fingers playing with his necklaces.

Seonghwa was now reminded of last night and the craziness that took place at that primary school. He gulped, hurling the lollipop at Hongjoong who hastily caught it.

For the first time, the shorter looked surprised. But it didn't last long.

"I don't want it," Seonghwa spoke, his voice coming out as a pathetic rasp.

Hongjoong's face hardened, his smile a lot more serious. "Huh. You _need_ it, though."

"I don't fucking need a piece of candy."

Hongjoong's smile diminished. "Anyone ever tell you how rude you are?"

"Being rude is better than being a murderer." Seonghwa kept his expression levelled as he uttered those words, but the way Hongjoong's eyes continuously surveyed him sent goosebumps rising over his arms.

Hongjoong stood up then, his entire demeanour horrifyingly intimidating despite his smaller size. He stepped so close to Seonghwa that their noses almost touched.

"Listen here, _punk_ ," Hongjoong spat, his tone nothing less than vicious, "this is your last chance to take that lollipop I'm offering you out of the _goodness of my heart_." His yellow eyes flashed more vividly, trapping Seonghwa's gaze even when his entire being was panicking. "It's your choice if you want it _or_ if you wanna regret it later. And trust me, you'll _beg_ for it."

Seonghwa took a shaky step back. His fists clenched. "I-I _won't_. What the fuck is _up_ with you?"

Hongjoong twirled the lollipop in his dainty fingers that hardly revealed just how _strong_ they really were. Seonghwa remembered how he'd ripped his hoodie apart yesterday night.

Hongjoong only _tsked_ , before unwrapping the lollipop and pushing it into his mouth. "Sure. Suit yourself."

"Hwa?"

Seonghwa blinked, and then Hongjoong was _gone_. Mingi's face appeared in his line of sight, the taller's hands encasing around his arms.

"I was looking all over for you. I thought you'd be at the cafeteria already, but turns out you're here. Have you eaten?"

Seonghwa's eyes darted everywhere, trying to figure out where Hongjoong could've went at that split second all to no avail. Nothing was making sense, but before Seonghwa could start to overthink again, he quickly shook his head.

"Fuck..." He whispered, glancing at Mingi's expectant face. "Uh, I haven't eaten yet."

"Then let's go get you something."

"Sure..."

⛓️

  
The sun was at its highest that late afternoon, all signs of rain obliterated except for the little puddles of murky water at a few parts of the field. It was p.e period, and Seonghwa's class was doing athletics this time around.

"I swear, the sun is _killing_ me today," sighed the exasperated looking boy next to him. Seonghwa knew him as Choi San, one of the few people at school he talked to at times.

Seonghwa let out a small smile, only to grimace when he saw the huge gulp of water Mingi'd taken out of his bottle. "We haven't even began running."

"Not every one is as _athletically gifted_ as you are," Mingi deadpanned, only for Seonghwa to roll his eyes.

He swore the heat was getting to him. Despite the thin white shirt and navy blue shorts he had on, a sheen of sweat still glistened on top his skin and got the base of his hair all damp. To make matters worse, his nose was _still_ stuffy.

"Mings, pass the bottle," San was saying, running his hand through his head of longish black hair.

"Where's yours?"

"I forgot it."

"Then drink from the taps."

"That shit's _nasty_ , bruh."

Mingi opened his mouth to say something, but Seonghwa never got to find out what it was because Hongjoong had now stepped out of the boys' dressing room, water bottle in hand. His cartilage piercings brightly shone in the light, causing Seonghwa to wince.

_Idiot, why are you even watching him in the first place?_

Hongjoong, just like always, caught his gaze at the nick of time. This time though, instead of a smirk or even a smile, he just looked away, heading over to the students seated at the benches.

Seonghwa didn't know why that annoyed him.

"Gather up, students!" The coach suddenly shouted. "Let's take attendance and start with the stretches..."

The stretches took place without any problems, but it was when the running started that the ache the size of a bud in Seonghwa's head seemed to have magnified _tenfold_.

It pounded in Seonghwa's brain, tight and constricting and making the sun a million times brighter. He felt like his body was starting to roast, a bunch of sweat dribbling down his back in rivulets. _Even_ his bones and joints weren't working as well as they should've, feeling stiff and heavier than ever.

It _irritated_ Seonghwa, because what was _happening_? He usually did good at running, so why were his peers starting to pass him by?

The back of his head felt as hot as magma, strands of his hair sticking to his forehead. He wiped them off, cringing at the pulsing warmth of his skin.

Seonghwa's lungs ached for him to stop moving, but he didn't want to. He wanted to keep moving, because he was _good_ at this, wasn't he? He was getting graded so he had to do his best. He just _had_ to.

Something collided with him. He lost his footing, resulting in his face scraping across the coarse grass.

People were talking, but they all faded into background noise in Seonghwa's head. A pair of sneakers were next to him, some kind of wilted flower drawn on the sides of one of them. And there was a small red mirror that wasn't reflective but opaque, snapping shut before Seonghwa could even blink.

Black swarmed his vision, and soon enough, he lost consciousness.


	4. patch you up

Once Seonghwa opened his eyes, he immediately felt like throwing up even though he'd barely ate anything today.

There was a lady at her desk several feet to his right. He didn't know her name since he'd never been to the sick room before.

The nurse grinned, all dimples and comforting crinkled eyes. She stood up and walked towards him, a clipboard in hand.

"You hit your head pretty bad back there, Park Seonghwa," she began, making Seonghwa peer up at her again. Her nameplate read _Nurse_ _Min_.

Seonghwa shut his eyes again, hating how _drowsy_ he felt. It was similar to last night in the sense that his body felt all heavy like he was losing control of _everything_.

"Good thing your classmate Hongjoong stepped in on time to break your fall."

Seonghwa's eyes snapped open. Similar to finally pushing through the surface of the violent seas and taking a huge gulp of the freezing air after a long while, clarity crystallized the fogginess of his mind. "Hongjoong didn't save me."

"He did," Nurse Min countered, that soft smile never leaving her face. "He stopped you from having a serious concussion."

 _He pushed me_ , Seonghwa wanted to argue. _He pushed me for whatever reason and injured me_. But instead of speaking up, he forced himself to his feet with a groan.

"I tried calling your dad so he could pick you up an hour ago. I should try again -- "

"It's fine, miss," Seonghwa gruffly replied. He hoped he didn't sound rude, but then again, he didn't really care. "I'll walk."

"But it's highly advised in case something goes wrong -- "

Seonghwa shook his head, gritting his teeth when felt that familiar stitch of pain behind his head. "I'm fine."

He opened the door and stepped out, not paying much mind to the stares he received from the other students as he marched down the hallway. His school bag was inside his locker, and as soon as he got it he'd finally be able to leave this hell-hole.

Looking around, he could see that the classrooms were empty for the most part, which meant that school was probably finished. Seonghwa wouldn't know. The bipolar weather kept screwing his timeframe up. Nevertheless, he'd rather walk home under this condition than have his daft father somehow drive to his school without knocking anything over to pick him up.

Opening his locker, Seonghwa came to a standstill. Rested on his strategically placed books was that same brand of red lollipops that Hongjoong had gifted to him earlier. His blood boiled.

He grabbed the lollipop as well as his bag, shutting his locker tight with restrained rage. He didn't even know why he was mad, but the pain he felt was making everything worse.

As if everything had been planned, a boy with a mullet left the school gates right then.

Almost immediately, Seonghwa followed after him. Sparks of pain shot up his feet with every limp step he took, his grip tight around the lollipop. Realizing just how quick Hongjoong was moving, Seonghwa increased his speed, almost bumping into a couple parked cars in his haste.

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa called out, not making his voice so loud. He didn't wanna draw attention to the both of them, but the shorter was making it hard not to scream.

"Wait up," Seonghwa tried again. His jaw clenched firmly when Hongjoong only walked faster.

"Kim Hongjoong!" The shorter's name left his lips in a desperate manner. Luckily, next to no one was around then.

Hongjoong stopped, but not before Seonghwa hobbled right into him like a dumbass. And _of course_ , Hongjoong _barely_ moved while Seonghwa nearly fell on his ass again. But he didn't though, all because the shorter had been quick enough to steady him with his small yet strong hands.

It seemed as if all the frustration Seonghwa felt died down with his voice as soon as Hongjoong's eyes met his. They were their usual _unusual_ shade of yellow, but the colour seemed a bit _softer_ somehow.

Seonghwa shouldn't have cared though. He was supposed to be mad.

One of Hongjoong's perfectly arched brows rose in questioning, and Seonghwa bit his lip, trying to _think_.

"Are you gonna say anything?" Hongjoong asked. "Or are you gonna keep staring at me like you're into me?"

"I'm not -- " But the shorter wasn't paying attention. "I don't like you."

Hongjoong sighed, his glossy lips reminding Seonghwa of peaches, for some reason. "Whatever. If it's not that, then what is it?"

"At p.e," Seonghwa explained, exposing the lollipop in his hand. Despite all the manhandling, it still appeared to be in pristine shape. "You tripped me."

"I didn't -- "

"You made me fall and almost gave me a fucking concussion," Seonghwa pressed. "And now, _now_ you somehow know my locker passcode and put in this stupid lollipop in order to _taunt_ me. I know you hate me, and to be honest I'm not a huge fan of you either -- "

"I don't hate you."

Seonghwa's jaw snapped shut. Hongjoong's words were the calm to the storm of the taller's thoughts, leaving him a speechless mess. "What?"

"I've got no reason to hate you. Sure, you're stubborn and you can be annoying as _shit_ , but you've done nothing to warrant my hatred."

Seonghwa scoffed. _Annoying_? " _I'm_ annoying? _You're_ the one that's been stalking me and putting me in these weird situations. _You're_ the one that keeps _confusing me_!"

All through this, Hongjoong was still as cool as a cucumber. If they were both in a cartoon, Seonghwa was sure he'd have _steam_ shooting out of his ears by now.

He stood there, his chest rising and falling and his loud heartbeat ricocheting through his body, but Hongjoong only _smirked_.

"You want answers, right? Take your lollipop first, Seonggie."

" _Seonggie_?" Seonghwa spat as if he was repulsed. His stupid heartbeat had gotten even louder, an uncomfortable warmth rising in the depths of his chest under Hongjoong's sparkling eyes.

"Neat, right?" Hongjoong's grin had a mocking undertone. "Suck on the lolly to get answers."

" _W-What_?" Seonghwa sputtered, but Hongjoong stayed nonchalant.

"Take the lollipop..." Hongjoong said, "...and I'll reveal everything..."

Seonghwa stared at the lollipop in his hand, the bright red wrapper reminding him of the shorter's shockingly red lips last night.

"Don't wanna do it? Well, good day then."

Seonghwa unwrapped the candy and unceremoniously shoved it into his mouth, the strawberry taste too sickly sweet for his liking. Like some kind of healing balm, his knots in his joints loosened and his headache dispersed. It was weird.

"See? All better now, right?" Hongjoong's wide smile still freaked him out, but it wasn't bad-looking, now that Seonghwa mulled over it. _Just strange_.

Seonghwa didn't bother answering him though. "Tell me everything."

Hongjoong pulled out a childish looking pouch with glittery stickers and everything. Ignoring the taller's heavy, inquisitive stare, he pulled a small pink bandaid with tiny drawn clouds on it.

"Give me your hand."

Seonghwa didn't listen, so Hongjoong had to grab his left hand and open it himself. The shorter's hands were as cold as the rain on a storming night, but that didn't stop this incessant _heat_ from surrounding Seonghwa's neck in a chokehold.

Seonghwa swallowed. "What's this for?"

"Your right cheekbone's kinda bleeding."

Seonghwa had no reason to feel embarrassed. But he _was_. He quickly wiped off the blood with his knuckles and tore open the bandaid, covering up the wound with it.

Hongjoong chuckled. "You look cute."

"Stop hitting on me."

The shorter male squinted his eyes. "Can't a guy compliment another guy without having some sort of hidden agenda?"

Seonghwa fiddled with his lollipop to hide the subtle lift of his lips. "No, but I'm not gay."

"And I don't give a fuck," Hongjoong sighed. "I'm leaving."

Seonghwa's barely-there smile disappeared. "Uh? You _said_ you'd tell me what went on back there."

Hongjoong was walking away. "Sorry, changed my mind."

Seonghwa raced after him, only for Hongjoong to pick up his pace. And now they were _both_ running, engaging in this impromptu marathon with only _one_ person out of the two enjoying it at all.

And it _wasn't_ Seonghwa.

"Hongjoong." He grabbed the shorter's arm, noticing that he wasn't out of breath in the slightest. But then again, Seonghwa wasn't as well.

People walked past them, steps dictated by their growing dread at the sight of the grey skies, so Seonghwa pulled Hongjoong beside a sandwich shop, the shorter staring at him like he just _knew_ what he was going to say next. Seonghwa didn't like that.

"Go home," Hongjoong said, slapping the taller's hand off.

Seonghwa shook his head. "Keep your promise. Tell me what's happening."

"Go. Home."

"I'll do anything. Whatever you want."

When Hongjoong's lemony eyes enlightened with intrigue, Seonghwa knew he'd probably made the wrong choice.

" _Anything_?"

Seonghwa just nodded.


	5. stranger things

Seonghwa didn't know what he'd expected Hongjoong's house to look like, but it certainly wasn't _this_.

Approximately three feet away from them (Seonghwa had calculated), encircled by lush greenery and flowers that were a bit too bright for Seonghwa's liking, was a small, picket-fenced house that looked identical to the other ones in that particular neighbourhood.

Considering how outrageous Hongjoong could be with his stylistic choices and words, the house looked a bit... _bland_ in comparison.

 _Again_ , why _am I even thinking this?_ Seonghwa thought.

The outdoor lights were on, amber drenching the hardwood door with its glow. As soon as he and Hongjoong had stepped past the fence and closer to the door, the shorter's chestnut hair matched with the soft lights.

"Why am I here?" Seonghwa questioned.

Hongjoong only pressed on the doorbell, his fingers decorated with twinkling rings which complemented the gold of his eyes.

"Hongjoong." As soon as Hongjoong looked his way though, Seonghwa stared someplace else.

"What?"

"What am I doing here?"

"You said you'd do anything I wanted." Hongjoong laughed, the sound too temperate for his boisterous self. "And now you're at my house 'cause that's what I want."

Seonghwa couldn't really argue with that though. The shorter was indeed right. But his stubborn side still liked to rear its ugly head. "Well -- "

The door opened, exposing a boy that looked even _taller_ than Seonghwa was. His face betrayed that he was probably around the same age as he was, with wavy pink locks that reminded Seonghwa of bubblegum.

"Uh..." The boy looked awkward seeing Seonghwa there, and Seonghwa couldn't blame him. _He_ felt awkward as well.

Hongjoong didn't look like he cared though, pushing open the door with those fun-sized hands of his. "Welcome to our abode, Seonghwa. Seonghwa, meet Yunho. My brother."

The awkwardness had transformed into knee-deep uncomfortableness. All of a sudden, Seonghwa didn't really want to be here anymore.

'Yunho' stared at Seonghwa, looking next to _nothing_ like Hongjoong. In contrast with Hongjoong's high cheekbones, sharp teeth and his frequent overdressing, Yunho was all soft and pale features, gentle exteriors, and simple clothing. Even his eyes weren't yellowish like Hongjoong's. Instead, they were sapphire.

The taller's eye colour only served to confuse Seonghwa further, because were they actually _real_? Hongjoong's eyes were a little more believable since they looked a bit closer to brown, but Yunho...Yunho's eyes were _blue_.

_What the hell?_

"Hi," Yunho waved. He seemed shy.

"Hey," Seonghwa let out.

Hongjoong wasn't even in the room anymore. He was in the kitchen, his nimble fingers shuffling through the cupboards at a crazy speed. "Yun, did you make dinner?"

Yunho's eyes met Seonghwa's once more, a meek smile growing on his face. "Uh... Make yourself comfortable, I guess. Um, I'll -- I'll set the table with Hongjoong."

"I didn't agree to that!" Shouted Hongjoong from the kitchen. What a brat.

"No," Seonghwa shook his head. He may be emotionally reclusive and apathetic to some, but there was no way he'd sit around and do _nothing_ to help at a house he'd been invited to, even when _one_ of the inhabitants irked him to no end. "I want to help."

Yunho cupped a palm over his face to hide his smile, a little bit _too_ giggly, but whatever. Seonghwa thought he was nice. "Nah, it's okay..."

"Seonghwa!" Hongjoong called out. "Get the plates please."

Seonghwa's good mood disappeared instantaneously. "Whatever."

"Don't mind him," Yunho spoke, his blue eyes boring into Seonghwa. "He's always like that."

"I'm well aware."

Yunho laughed. "Are you two friends?"

"No," Seonghwa replied just as Hongjoong let out a " _Hell_ no". The taller glared at Hongjoong, but the shorter just kept smirking.

Yunho opened his mouth to speak, only to shut it since he'd probably guessed his words wouldn't have changed anything. And he was most likely correct.

Seonghwa set the tables in silence, his eyes drifting over to Hongjoong's and Yunho's forms in the kitchen. They were _clearly_ talking about something private, Yunho's expression appearing a lot more cautious than Hongjoong's. Although their words weren't meant for Seonghwa to hear, his ears still itched to know what the two boys were talking about.

He barely uttered a single sentence as dinner commenced, politely nibbling on some rice from his bowl while Hongjoong and Yunho continued to converse.

"...Is the food good?" Yunho asked after couple minutes. Once Seonghwa looked up, he was met with the two brothers' uniquely coloured eyes, and he gulped.

"Uh..." He began, Hongjoong immediately continuing his war with his food. Yunho kept staring, though. "It tastes great. Really."

Yunho grinned, but his eyes were thrumming with that same type of intensity Hongjoong's had. "Thank you."

"Are those contacts?"

Seonghwa wanted the ground to open up and freaking _suck him whole._ He couldn't believe he'd just asked that, no matter how curious he'd felt.

"Uh..." He dropped his spoon in the bowl, his fists clenching over his knees. "It's fine though, if you don't wanna say anything -- "

"They're real." It was Hongjoong who'd replied this time. His gaze trained on Seonghwa like a predator, almost. Like he was studying and calculating whatever move Seonghwa was going to make next. "Does that _scare_ you?"

Yunho stared at Hongjoong, panic reflecting off his deep blue irises. "Hongjoong -- "

"I'm sorry," Seonghwa apologized, mostly because of Yunho and how rude he'd possibly sounded.

"It's fine," Yunho shook his head. "You don't need to apologize."

His maroon sweater was large and very long-sleeved, but when he'd taken another spoonful of his own serving, Seonghwa spotted the teal coloured lines running along his thin wrist. They looked like veins, their asymmetry reminding Seonghwa of lightning. He quickly looked away though, not wanting to seem like he was intruding once again.

⛓️

"Why did you bring me here?" Seonghwa asked Hongjoong as soon as dinner was over. They were both outside, the orange glow from the streetlamps littering the empty roads illuminating their surroundings. 

Hongjoong's cat-like eyes were more noticeable now, unnerving and drawing Seonghwa in more and more. Seriously, what was the deal with those eyes of his?

  
"I already told you, it's 'cause I wanted to," Hongjoong replied. His lips curled into a slight grin, his prominent canines eliciting dread inside Seonghwa. He hated it whenever the shorter smiled, yet he didn't at the same time...

Hell, Hongjoong was making him so _confused_.

"No." Seonghwa jabbed a finger onto Hongjoong's chest. "You brought me here to _embarrass_ _me_. To -- to _freak_ me out."

Hongjoong grabbed his wrist, his grip so tight it was _painful_. "Don't touch me."

Seonghwa tried to yank his hand off, all to no avail. "Let me go."

Hongjoong did, only for Seonghwa to almost trip on _nothing_ since he'd let him go so unexpectedly.

A moment passed, and then Hongjoong burst out laughing to Seonghwa's bemusement.

"You -- _fuck_ ," Hongjoong wheezed, his eyes sizzling with warmth. "You're like, all serious and brooding, right? But then you turn around and pull shit like _this_ \-- "

"Fuck off," Seonghwa growled, his frustration spiking.

Yet, Hongjoong barely even reacted to the taller's outburst. "I was just trying to be nice, but okay."

"Leave me alone."

"Try and find your way back home then."

At this, Seonghwa observed his surroundings. Trees cornered the neighbourhood, their dark leaves and spindly branches raised to the heavens. People weren't even walking around, and the gritting silence got to Seonghwa's head.

His brows furrowed. "What _is_ this place?"

"My neighbourhood...?"

"I mean -- " Seonghwa licked his lips, his arms secured around himself, "why are there _barely_ any people around apart from you, me, and Yunho? Where even _are_ your parents?"

"Chill." Hongjoong played with a strand of his hair, blue meeting light brown. "The neighbours sleep early, and my parents aren't home right now."

Seonghwa's eyes kept surveying the eerily quiet area.

"Are you scared?"

"Will you -- " Seonghwa breathed, "will you stop _asking_ that?"

"I dunno. _Maybe_ I'm asking 'cause you look like you wanna _vomit_?"

"I'm going home." Seonghwa started walking.

"By yourself?"

"Fuck off."

Hongjoong grinned, pulling out another strawberry flavoured lollipop. "I'll help you home."

"Hongjoong -- "

"If you're _that_ curious about me, then fucking go along with whatever I say," the shorter commanded.

Wordlessly, Seonghwa watched as Hongjoong dropped the lollipop over his open palm.

"Use it," Hongjoong winked.

Impatience bubbling under his skin, Seonghwa quickly unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth. He shut his eyes, waiting for the magic -- or whatever strange mumbo jumbo the lollipop did -- to happen. Only...the air still _stayed_ a little bit cold, and his feet still remained the same place.

"Hongjoong -- " Seonghwa began to protest, only for something cool to grasp his hand. A sensation akin to warm morning sunlight seeped into his heart, and before he could react, the ground _slipped_ beneath his feet.

Seonghwa snapped his eyes open, seeing a chaotic mesh of colours that made him dizzy with a darkness above that mirrored an empty sky. He almost fell, his bearings unsteady his heartbeat thrashing about, but one thing stood constant.

And it was Hongjoong's hand in his.


	6. distractions

In the blink of an eye, Seonghwa's house appeared right in front of him. Hongjoong stood next to him, far too close that their shoulders brushed with every constrained movement. Their hands were still intertwined for some reason, causing Seonghwa to internally _freak out_.

Hongjoong was the first to drop his hand. Seonghwa's heart restarted again, finally feeling like he could _breathe_.

"Home..." Hongjoong's voice was a subdued whisper. "You're home now."

Seonghwa walked up to his door, his thumb resting on the freezing doorknob only to stop when he realized that Hongjoong was still there.

Seonghwa shouldn't have felt anything. His house wasn't anything special, smack dab in the middle of a neighbourhood that couldn't care less about their appearances. For Christ's sake, he and Hongjoong barely _knew_ each other. But fuck, did Seonghwa feel this tiny twinge of shame.

"...Thanks," he mumbled, inserting the house key.

Hongjoong's hands were in his pockets. "Goodnight, Seonghwa."

Seonghwa ignored the way the shorter changed the subject. "Night."

And like the shadows in darkness, Hongjoong vanished.

For a moment, Seonghwa paused, glaring hard at the spot Hongjoong had previously lingered at. He wondered if he was really gone, if he was really... _real_. Tonight, Seonghwa kinda doubted it.

The house was nearly pitch black once dark haired male opened the door. The stench of booze attacked his nostrils and made him wince, because _yet again,_ his father had fallen prey to binge drinking.

The man lay passed out on the ratty couch, his red-rimmed eyes shut and empty beer bottles scattered all over the coffee table.

Seonghwa despised the sight. Feeling nothing but spite and disappointment for his father, he took his time in clearing off the bottles and putting them away. Once he was done, he grabbed a blanket, softly covering his father's sleeping form with it. His fucking throat felt so constricted he feared he was choking on air, so he quickly decided to leave the room, heading to his bedroom instead.

Putting his bag somewhere safe and sound, Seonghwa couldn't help but wonder if his heart needed that treatment too. But as always, he didn't dwell on it too much.

After pulling out the clothes he planned on changing into for the night, he took a shower in order to calm himself down and feel better.

"Get lost," Seonghwa muttered no one in particular as he remembered Hongjoong's little note for him in biology earlier. "Get out of my head..."

Once he got changed, he fell on his bed and turned on his phone, cringing at the array of text messages he'd gotten from Mingi.

 _Should I ignore them?_ Seonghwa was kinda tired, but a silly part of him hypothesised that he only wanted to sleep as fast as he could so he could pester Hongjoong a little quicker tomorrow.

Seonghwa slapped himself. _Shut the fuck up_.

 **-** **mings**  
 _seonghwa, are u okay?_  
 _ur probably home rn,_ _arent_ _u?_

That was Mingi's most recent message, and that was what Seonghwa was going to reply to since he wasn't in the mood for the others. He knew Mingi cared about him a lot, hell he appreciated it even, but the guy could get a little _too_ clingy at times. Seonghwa just wanted to complete his homework and sleep.

 **-** **seongs**  
 _yeah_

Mingi's reply came at the speed of light.

 **-** **mings**  
 _omg, are u good?_  
 _u left school without telling me_

 **-** **mings**  
 _i thought_ _smth_ _had happened to_ _u_

Something _had_ happened, alright. One that involved a mullet haired boy and his glowing yellow eyes, as well as his brother who apparently _also_ had an eye colour that was basically rare for people to have around here.

It would've been so _easy_ to tell Mingi all about it. The guy was his _best friend_. But Hongjoong's haunting words of last night still lingered at the confines of his mind.

 _No one would believe you_.

 **-** **seongs**  
 _i'm fine_ _dw_

**\- mings**   
_is ur face okay?_   
_u fell pretty hard_

Seonghwa didn't wanna talk about it. That nurse had basically said Hongjoong'd broke his fall, even when he was almost 100 percent sure the shorter had done it to spite him or get some type of revenge. He imagined Hongjoong sneakily eyeing him with those cat-like eyes of his, just _waiting_ for the perfect moment to _pounce_ on him at his most vulnerable moment.

Only Mingi would be able to confirm if Seonghwa was telling the truth or not.

 **-** **seongs**  
 _when i fell, what happened_  
 _i mean, how did i fall_

**\- mings**   
_u can't remember?_

**\- seongs**   
_i blacked out_

**\- mings**   
_ohhh_   
_right_

**\- mings**   
_well, u tripped but someone stepped in and stopped u from hitting ur head pretty bad_

**\- seongs**   
_thats embarrassing_

**\- mings**   
_no its not_   
_i'm just glad ur okay_

**\- seongs**   
_who broke my fall_

**\- mings**  
 _a guy named kim hongjoong_  
 _he_ _goes to bio with us_

Seonghwa's breath hitched.

**\- seongs**   
_he tripped me_

**\- mings**   
_nah, he rushed in as soon as u fell and lightened ur fall_   
_he practically saved u_

Seonghwa couldn't take it anymore. His heart began to pound extremely hard.

**\- seongs**   
_did he have anything with him_   
_like...a mirror of some sort?_

**\- mings**   
_uh...no?_   
_his hands were empty as far as i know_

**\- mings**   
_but why are u so curious about him anyway_

**\- seongs**   
_its nothing_

**\- seongs**  
 _listen mingi_  
 _i_ _gtg_ _now_

 **\- mings**  
 _aww :'(_  
 _its alright tho_  
 _i'll see you at school_ _tmrw_ _hwa_

**\- seongs**   
_yeah_

Seonghwa switched off his phone and flung it on his bed. For a while, he laid there face first, trying to sort out his thoughts. According to everyone, Hongjoong _saved_ him. Ugh, that was so _weird_ to think about. And now, Seonghwa apparently could _see_ the things Hongjoong did that even his best friend couldn't.

The shorter was driving him _crazy_.

⛓️

  
The next day, Hongjoong stepped into the halls with a black turtleneck and jeans that hugged his form, with silver jewelry that made the gold in his eyes stand out a little too much.

As soon as Seonghwa spotted him, he kept staring. And it _wasn't_ because he was interested. No, he wanted to let Hongjoong know just how much he disliked him.

Mingi had been taking out some books from his locker when Hongjoong finally locked eyes with Seonghwa, causing the taller to abruptly look away. _Idiot_.

Hongjoong shot him a smile that oozed mischief, which Seonghwa wanted to wipe off by the way. When they were mere inches from each other, Hongjoong simply _winked_ at him, leaving him a stupefied, speechless mess.

"Fuck, I forgot my pen," Mingi said just as Hongjoong continued his strut down the hallway.

What the hell. Seonghwa wanted to scoff, because who did Hongjoong even _think_ he was? Why the hell did he wink at him in the first place? Did he do that to the other people he _also_ liked annoying?

The image of Hongjoong's twinkling eyes and his docile smile replayed ultra slowly in Seonghwa's mind like those trashy teen romcoms. His face flamed up, not even realizing he was still staring in the direction Hongjoong headed off to until he felt a tug on his sleeve.

"Hwa? _Hellooo_ , earth to Seonghwa?" Mingi said, waving his hand in front of Seonghwa's face, only for the shorter male to smack his hand off.

"What were you staring at so hard?" Mingi asked, adjusting his thinly framed glasses. He didn't usually wear them, only having them on today because it 'matched the aesthetic he had going on'. It seemed like everyone around here put _some_ effort into dressing except for Seonghwa, whose outfit choices consisted of mostly plain shirts and jeans. It wasn't his fault though, but then again he didn't care.

"...Did Hongjoong just pass? Was he the person you'd been staring at?" Mingi questioned. When Seonghwa turned to face him, his brows were creased, and he genuinely seemed disturbed.

"I wasn't staring at anyone." Seonghwa admitted. He was lying, he _knew_ that, but hopefully if he sounded believable enough then maybe his words would actually be _true_.

He slung his bag over his shoulder (the thing was already appearing a little too old for his liking) and threw Mingi one of his many unused pens.

Mingi grinned. "Sweet. Thanks, Seongs."

"I already told you you can only use that nickname through text messages," Seonghwa informed.

"You have to admit it has a nice ring to it," Mingi replied. "Like, my name's Song Mingi. Add your name in it and it's _Seong_ _Mingi_. Basically the same thing except for one letter."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but he wasn't mad. The taller was one of the few people in his life that didn't make him feel that way. "You're so lame."

"Only for you."

Seonghwa ignored his friend and shut his locker, the chipping blue colour reminding him of Hongjoong's painted nails.

 _Get out of my mind, Kim Hongjoong_.


	7. new questions

  
During lunch, Mingi'd been playing a game on Seonghwa's phone that _he'd_ downloaded himself since according to him ' _video_ _games_ _maketh_ _man_ ', when the shorter spotted Hongjoong walking into the upper block that held the school library, his backpack in hand.

Instantly, Seonghwa's hands fisted, the boy beginning to play less and less attention to the artificial shooting effects and zombie gurgles coming from his phone. It transformed into background noise along with San's hurried commentary on Mingi's playing skills.

The three were seated under a large oak tree with roots thick and sturdy enough to support their combined weight. They weren't the only students around either, several teens choosing to camp inside the miniature park beside their school due to the afternoon heat.

"It's so damn _hot_ today," San complained. His eyes were fully focused on the game though, his hands forming happy fists whenever Mingi scored a win. "It's fucking _Autumn_ , not the middle of Summer."

Seonghwa couldn't help but agree. Lately it'd been so hot in the afternoons, only for the weather to do a complete one-eighty as soon as evening and night arrived. Nature was weird. Whatever.

However, he stood up, his movements gaining Mingi's attention instantaneously.

A booming _FAIL_ seeped out of Seonghwa's phone speakers then, but only San seemed to be really affected by it.

"Where're you going?" Mingi asked.

Seonghwa stared at the block Hongjoong had entered as he searched his brain for a believable lie. "To the bathroom."

Fortunately, to get to the boys bathroom you needed to pass the library first.

"I'll follow you."

"That's fucking _weird_ ," San commented, his thumbs dancing crazily over Seonghwa's phone screen. Normally with anyone else, the dark haired male would've had a problem with them touching his phone. But he trusted San to be careful -- which he usually was.

"How the hell is it weird?" Mingi questioned, his tone bordering on offended. Before both teens could argue on it though, Seonghwa decided to step in.

"I'll go alone. Don't worry, I won't take long."

"It's alright, Hwa," Mingi said, "take as long as you'd like."

San advanced into another level. "Again -- _Weird_."

"I will _smack_ you." No, he wouldn't. Seonghwa was sure Mingi wouldn't even hurt a fly.

"I'll get going," Seonghwa spoke.

San flashed him a distracted but genuine smile. "A'ight _bye_."

Seonghwa didn't waste time in entering the school and rushing up the many stairs. With him barely losing his breath or breaking a sweat, he sauntered into the library in hopes that Hongjoong would still be there.

And he _was_. Resting at some seat at the back whilst typing something on his phone, for once looking like the stereotypical disinterested teenager.

Briefly greeting the librarian, Seonghwa marched up to Hongjoong's table and sat himself down on the seat right across from him.

Hongjoong continued his typing, and once again, Seonghwa's frustration flared up.

"Phones aren't allowed in the library," was what he chose to say once the silence was starting to prolong.

"Good day to you too, Seonghwa." Hongjoong placed his phone on the table. The bracelets on his right wrist were numerous with varying shapes. They all looked childish but at the same time unique -- just like the owner.

"My eyes are up here," Hongjoong teased, tapping next to his eye once Seonghwa snapped out of his daze. This thumbnail was black like his entire outfit, but the rest of his fingers were painted in silver glitter.

Why was Seonghwa even looking?

"I see you like my nails," Hongjoong wriggled them, smirking when Seonghwa just glared at him. "Wanna paint your nails with me sometime?"

"Tell me why you were using your phone at the library."

"That again," Hongjoong sighed, his glossy lips forming a pout. Now that Seonghwa observed them enough, he realized there _had_ to be some type of glitter there as well.

How could the shorter dress like _that_ to a school where most people wanted to _fit in_ instead of _stand out_?

"Mr Ahn and I are good friends," Hongjoong said as if announcing being best buds with your school librarian was the most _normal_ thing to do. "Is that it?"

"No." Seonghwa shook his head, causing Hongjoong to let out yet another sigh. The sound was so uncharacteristic with Hongjoong's entire setup in the sense that it sounded... _cute_ , _unlike_ the owner.

Seonghwa cleared his throat. "How can you dress like... _that_ to school?"

Hongjoong cocked his head to the side like a naive puppy, but his eyes betrayed the fact that he _knew_. "Dress like what?"

"...Like the way you do." Seonghwa stared at the shorter, trying to figure out if he was offended or not. But it was hard. Seonghwa thought only _he_ could have the perfect poker face, but it turned out to be false at that moment.

Maintaining eye contact with Hongjoong was like staring into the eyes of a watching, _waiting_ tiger. But Seonghwa wouldn't back down. For whatever reason, Seonghwa wanted to show Hongjoong that he _wasn't_ scared of him.

"The trick is not giving a crap about what others think," Hongjoong replied after a minute of them staring at each other with crippling tension crackling between the two of them. "I treat people well, I'm nice when I wanna be. Clothing shouldn't dictate the kind of person I am. Although..." His yellowish eyes painstakingly ran down the slope of Seonghwa's body, causing the taller to stiffen, "sometimes clothes _do_ showcase someone's character."

Seonghwa's Adam's apple bobbed. "The fuck do you mean by that?"

Hongjoong shot him a sharp smirk. "You dress boring... and you _are_ boring."

Seonghwa's frustration ebbed into full-fledged anger. His nostrils flared, but he promised himself he wouldn't let _anyone_ ever see how he felt, most of all Hongjoong. "I'm not _boring_."

"Sure. Let's go with that." Hongjoong smiled, all straight white teeth and prominent canines. He looked wild yet... _adorable_.

Seonghwa looked away. He pulled out a neatly folded paper from his jeans. As soon as he opened it, he slid it over to Hongjoong.

"Ooh, _words_ ," Hongjoong sarcastically remarked. "Is it a confession letter?"

"Read it and answer the questions," Seonghwa replied, totally ignoring Hongjoong's words.

"But they're too long."

" _No, they aren't_."

_1\. What are you_

_2\. How the hell can you fly??_

_3\. What is that shadow being?_

_4\. Are there others like you?_

_5\. What happened to that primary school?_

_6\. What tf do you do?!_

  
"Your handwriting's ugly," Hongjoong muttered, giggling when he took notice of Seonghwa's less than amused face. "But I'll make do with it."

"Just answer the damn questions. I don't have all day."

Hongjoong rested his head on his small hands, his smile nothing less than coy. "How much time did you take writing this up? You were thinking about me _that much_?"

"I don't think about you," Seonghwa countered. Hongjoong kept _staring_ at him though, and heat flourished over the apples of his cheeks. "Don't look at me."

"I'm just watchin'"

"I don't like it."

Hongjoong chuckled, biting his lower lip. His lips were naturally upturned at the corners like a curious kitten's, and for a second Seonghwa couldn't look away. When their eyes locked, though, Seonghwa focused his gaze elsewhere.

Hongjoong rose a questioning brow. "What?"

"Answer the questions."

"Alright. I'll answer one." Hongjoong zipped open his bag and pulled out a folded piece of clothing. Seonghwa's eyes narrowed when he realized what it was.

It was his hoodie. The one Hongjoong had ripped, only that it was newly bought and bright pink.

"What is this?" Seonghwa questioned.

Hongjoong grinned, a ray of sunshine from the opened windows crystallizing the golden flecks of his eyes like glass. "Felt a bit guilty about messing with your hoodie, so I decided to get you another one."

Seonghwa hadn't expected this, hadn't expected the shorter's _generosity_. But even with that, he couldn't help that little part of him that was wary about Hongjoong's true motives.

"I don't need it," Seonghwa replied.

"Why? 'Cause it's pink?"

"Because I don't need someone treating me like some charity project."

Hongjoong's fists clenched, but he settled the folded hoodie on the table with a tight smile. "I'm only trying to be _nice_."

"I don't need anything from you," Seonghwa answered. "I just want you to answer my questions."

"And I _will_ answer one of them if you accept my little gift," Hongjoong argued. "So just take it and stop being a lil' twat about it."

Seonghwa sighed, taking in the shorter's frown and undoubtedly agitated tone. His eyes were as intense and as fear-inducing as they were the first night they'd talked. But they were also entrancing. _Bewitching_ , even.

Gingerly, Seonghwa took the hoodie, the material a soft pink and warm to the touch. It was just like his previous hoodie, only _better_. His mother had always liked pink.

Seonghwa cleared his throat, detesting the lump that'd gathered there. "So, the question -- "

"This is where you say ' _Thank you oh dear Hongjoong_ '," Hongjoong interrupted. He let out a breathy chuckle when the taller boy glared at him for what seemed to be the millionth time that single afternoon.

"Answer the question."

"Okay." Hongjoong's eyes ran over the taller's note. "I'll answer the one about the school." _Of course_ he'd answer the one question that didn't even pertain to him that much. "We have someone for that."

Seonghwa rose an eyebrow. "Like, to clean up the scene and stuff?"

"Yes, something like that."

"What else do you do? Is your brother like you and are there other people that do the things you do?"

The bell rang then, loud and atrocious. It grated the insides of Seonghwa's eardrums and highly annoyed him. His eyes widened in alarm though as soon as Hongjoong promptly stood up, pushing all his stuff into his bag.

Seonghwa stood up as well. "Hongjoong -- "

Hongjoong took the list of questions, all pretty smiles and crinkled eyes. "Hey, I'll be taking this if you don't mind."

Seonghwa watched in a daze as little translucent droplets oscillated around the paper in Hongjoong's hand, soaking it out of existence. "What just happened?"

Hongjoong just pointed at the pink hoodie on the table. "Don't forget to put that in your bag. I think I'll really like it if I see you wearing it sometime. And -- oh," he snapped his fingers, "about question four: yes, there _are_ others like me."

"Like Yunho?" Seonghwa asked. For once, he didn't give a shit about turning in late to class or not. There was just _something_ in him that ached to know more about the shorter, because Hongjoong was _different_. And different was the one thing he so desperately needed right now.

But just like always, Hongjoong kept his answer as vague as he possibly could. "We'll talk later, Seonghwa."

"We're talking now."

"No." Hongjoong shook his head. "We're _not_ talking. You're _interrogating_ me, there's a _difference_."

"I don't care."

Hongjoong smiled. "I'll see you later, hm?"

With the sheer roguishness glinting through the shorter's irises, Seonghwa didn't know if he was ready for that.


	8. intoxicated

  
Coming back to his home, Seonghwa felt a pinch of _something_ similar to loneliness. The livingroom was dark with shadows lingering around every corner, but the kitchen lights were on, the plates in the sink unwashed.

Seonghwa dropped his bag on a table and marched inside the kitchen, for once not inhaling any type of alcoholic fumes or anything close to that. But the mess in the sink heightened the anger he felt towards his father, towards himself and towards his _life_.

_Hi, Son. I got a little hungry so I decided to make some ramyun. Hope you don't mind!_

_I also went out. Don't wait for me!_

The words were haphazardly scribbled and barely legible, but Seonghwa understood them anyway. He took the note stuck to the fridge and slowly crushed it in his hand, his shoulders hunched in defeat.

His father was his _father_. So that meant Seonghwa had to bear with the man even when he'd cleared the one food Seonghwa had been planning on eating that night. And there was already a shortage of edible stuff at the house.

At times like these, Seonghwa couldn't relinquish the loathing his father frequently made him feel. The man was messy, always got himself drunk at the worst of times, and then ate whatever he wanted even when he knew his son _needed_ it to not go hungry.

Seonghwa tore the note in half and tossed it into the bin, wishing he'd taken up Mingi's offer to spend the night over at his house instead. The taller also had a father of his own, but his was actually a responsible human being, _unlike_ Seonghwa's dad.

In the overall grand scheme of life, Seonghwa often wondered where he'd fucked up.

After he washed the plates since he couldn't stand any type of disorder for long, he switched off the lights and walked to his room with his bag.

Luckily, he didn't have any homework or assignment to do. _Unluckily_ , lying back first on his bed with nothing to do set fire to the nagging thoughts that often plagued his mind during moments like these. Thoughts that didn't shy away from letting him know just how _pointless_ everything was, and how he wasn't doing anything tangible with his life.

 _You're boring_.

Hongjoong's words echoed in his head, turning his flaming thoughts into a full-blown wildfire. And it vexed Seonghwa, because why did those words affect him this much? He didn't give a crap about Hongjoong or his stupid alluring eyes or his annoying bright smiles. Hongjoong was just an infuriating little shit that thrived on driving him insane with his unreadable, highly frustrating self.

Seonghwa didn't want to deal with the shorter anymore, but he was still so perplexed about what he _trul_ _y_ was. And that was the most upsetting thing.

Something hit his window.

The sound startled Seonghwa, his first thought being that someone had thrown a stone or something his way. But, the sound was too low for that to be, so what...

His heart slammed against his throat when he noticed the silhouette present by his window. It looked human, _familiar_.

"What -- " Seonghwa's eyes blew wide when a head of chestnut shaded hair peered into his (inconveniently open) window.

"How does this shit fully open -- " a distracted Hongjoong was mumbling as if sneaking into Seonghwa's bedroom at night was the most _plausible_ thing to do.

The fear Seonghwa had felt diminished instantly. He walked up to the struggling boy by his window, his presence _finally_ gaining the shorter's attention.

"The fuck are you trying to do?" Seonghwa questioned once Hongjoong looked up. His eyes were like sparking embers burning at the fireplace, catching the taller off-guard once again.

"Oh, hi," Hongjoong greeted with a big wave.

"Answer my question."

"Transported here to talk." Hongjoong tapped his thin fingers over the window sill. "I promised, didn't I?"

"I never said you could come to my room."

Hongjoong grinned, and Seonghwa's heartbeat quivered. "Hey, dude. I came all the way over here to answer your questions. Are ya _really_ gonna send me back -- "

Seonghwa didn't know what drove him to do what he did next, but as soon as he forced Hongjoong's fingers off his window, causing him to lose his grip, regret bit him in the butt, because Hongjoong was _falling_.

And it didn't help that Seonghwa's room _wasn't_ near the ground. _Fuck_. He quickly reached out, but that proved futile.

In less than a second though, Hongjoong had propelled himself forward, his face right in front of Seonghwa's before the taller could blink.

"I..." Seonghwa gulped. Hongjoong held his hand out, inching it towards him. And normally, Seonghwa would step away, because he wasn't a fan of touches especially ones that came from near strangers. But as Hongjoong's fingers splayed themselves over his shirt collar, his nails slightly digging into his skin, Seonghwa could only wait with bated breaths.

Right then, Hongjoong snatched him by the shirt and slipped him out the window.

Panic flooded Seonghwa's veins, because now he was in the _air_ with Hongjoong.

"W-What," Seonghwa stammered, the cold nightly breeze engulfing his entire body. The troublesome winds played with his hair, sweeping it away from his face while Hongjoong remained as calm and collected as ever. "What are you _doing_?"

Hongjoong didn't answer, only grabbing his hands and dragging him closer and closer to the dark sky. They were so _close_ the moon appeared as some large lightbulb shining down on them.

Queasiness took over, Seonghwa feeling mere seconds away from throwing up. He _had_ to have been hallucinating. He just _had_ to be. _None_ of this was real, none of this was _actually_ taking place --

Hongjoong dumped him on grass that felt like cotton. Ungracefully rolling on top the grass, Seonghwa inhaled and exhaled huge gulps of air, feeling like he was about to _die_.

Hongjoong plopped himself next to him without breaking a sweat, two cans of some kind of soda in hand.

"Take this." Hongjoong passed one of them to Seonghwa, the condensed droplets on its surface slithering over his trembling fingers. "It'll make you feel better."

Seonghwa gripped the can so tight its lid almost popped off. "Once again, you almost _killed_ me."

"But I didn't," Hongjoong smiled while taking a sip from his own can.

Seonghwa watched his drink. "What is this?"

"Just _take_ it, sheesh." Hongjoong had already finished his, and was now lying on the plush grass, his arm folded behind his head. His eyes were trained upwards, the sky for once matching their colour.

Bright yellows and daring oranges flickered about on the night sky, reminding Seonghwa of supernovas. Each second, they gleamed, shooting sparks and varying shades of colour _everywhere_. Seonghwa thought they looked like fireworks, but more spectacular.

He'd never seen this place before.

"Where are we?" He asked, finally drinking from his can. He glanced at Hongjoong who'd now had his eyes closed.

The shorter's face was pale, contrasting downright marvellously with his red lips. They formed a smile, making Seonghwa think of roses. " _Stellar_."

"Stellar?" Seonghwa questioned, taking more sips from his drink. It oddly tasted like cola, and the more he drank from it, the more heat swelled his insides. But it was the comfortable kind of heat.

"It's a mini dimension we're in," Hongjoong clarified, opening his eyes. He chuckled when he saw that Seonghwa was already done with his drink. "Hey, slow down. It's _kinda_ addictive."

He didn't object when Seonghwa's hand reached out for more cans, though.

Seonghwa swallowed his second drink, before moving on to his third. "I have no idea what you're talking about. But then again, nothing you do makes sense to me."

Hongjoong barely looked perturbed by Seonghwa's statement however, just observing the taller through his glowing eyes. "Okay, you stop after the third can. Seriously."

"...You can't tell me what to do..." Seonghwa's words came out as a murmur, and then he was lying down next to Hongjoong, squinting at the sky. The swirling colours appeared more vibrant, reminiscent of stardust and all things alien.

Seonghwa choked out a disbelieving laugh. He was _pretty_ sure he was high on something. "...Hongjoong."

Hongjoong hadn't stopped watching him all this time. "Hmm?"

"Did you really bring me out here to talk, or are you just fucking with me?"

Hongjoong laughed. "I wanted to spend time with you."

The colours in the sky grew more and more distorted, _slower_.

"Bullshit. I'm pretty sure you just drugged me." Despite his words though, Seonghwa was smiling. But it wasn't a pretty smile. No, it was one that was pained and angry, because he was furious at the _world_. At everything.

"I didn't drug you," Hongjoong answered. "It's supposed to make people like me relaxed. Not my fault you took so much so suddenly."

Seonghwa shut his eyes after several moments of silence. "...Hongjoong?"

The shorter's voice was soft. "What?"

"I fucking hate my life."

"Interesting."

Seonghwa didn't know what had gotten over him. Maybe it was the beautiful, limitless sky. Maybe it was that drink Hongjoong had handed to him. Or maybe it was nothing at all. All of a sudden, Seonghwa wanted to spew his innermost thoughts, the ones that kept him up at night.

"I," Seonghwa inhaled, "am an unlucky piece of shit that people only tolerate out of pity."

There was silence for a second, but then Hongjoong spoke up.

"I mean, you _are_ a piece of shit. But I don't pity you."

Seonghwa opened his eyes and giggled, the sound so _foreign_ coming from him. He blamed it on whatever concoction he'd drank. "Thanks."

"Welcome." Hongjoong smirked. His eyes at that very moment were like garnet crystals, the flecks reminding Seonghwa of the molten lava he'd been so intrigued with as a kid.

"I felt like drowning in lava as a child," Seonghwa suddenly sputtered.

"Weird change of topic."

"Why do your eyes _look_ like that?" The drinks Seonghwa had inhaled had given him extra bravery to keep maintaining eye contact with the boy next to him. He wasn't as intimidated anymore, but there was _no way_ he'd admit that out loud though.

"Like what?" Hongjoong played naive.

"Like the sky."

Hongjoong eyeballed him. "I'm not fully human." His teeth were whiter than ever under the catastrophic skies, his canines making him appear roguish and wild. Pretty.

Seonghwa rose a brow. "You're answering me so easily now."

"Because I know you won't remember any of it in the morning."

Seonghwa scoffed, itching to slap off the smug look on Hongjoong's face. "Like I'd ever forget _this_."

"Trust me. You will."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes. He then crossed his arms over his face, enjoying the cool breeze and the gentle sway of grass beneath his body. "I feel like crap."

"No, you don't. You're just tired."

Seonghwa _hated_ that the shorter could read him so easily. "Fuck off."

Hongjoong threw his head back and _laughed_ , loud and unapologetic. It was high-pitched and melodious, catching Seonghwa's eye almost immediately.

Seonghwa watched him like he was mad. "Are you really okay?"

Hongjoong's laughter dispersed into little giggles that shook his smaller body. "It's just -- You're so _interesting_ , Seonghwa. You always tell me to leave you alone, yet you clearly want me around you."

Seonghwa's eyes narrowed, alarm pulsing through his insides. "You're an annoying prick that I want nothing to do with."

"At this point though, we _could_ be considered friends," Hongjoong hypothesised.

"Suck my dick."

Hongjoong's smile widened. "You act all 'prim and proper' at school, but here you are, telling me to suck your dick."

Seonghwa sighed, screwing his eyes shut. "I don't wanna talk to you anymore."

Hongjoong didn't seem to get the memo though, because in the next nanosecond he was flinging a distressed Seonghwa over his shoulder, waltzing down the endless field of grass.

Detesting the position he was now in, Seonghwa flailed his arms all about, even proceeding to slap the shorter's back numerous times over. " _Fuck_. Kim Hongjoong, let me _go_."

But Hongjoong was like a stubborn block of ice, even when Seonghwa resorted to tickling him.

"Shh, just sleep," he whispered. He started to ascend, his grip around the taller's waist steady.

"How are you stronger than me?"

Hongjoong laughed, the sound vibrating through Seonghwa's chest. "You'll get there eventually, Seonggie."

Seonghwa didn't bother questioning what he said, embracing his defeat as he hung like a sack of potatoes over Hongjoong's shoulder.

"You were also wondering if there were other people like me, right?" Hongjoong said while they drifted inside the stars. "Well, during p.e next week, study the ones closest to you."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?"

Hongjoong grinned, eyes burning through the night. "You'll see."


	9. shadow

Seonghwa stood at the end of a long, narrow road that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Darkness encompassed him, so much so that he couldn't even see his feet as they'd been sunk into the shadows.

He'd never been here before, and the hairs at the back of his neck stood on end. The air was still and eerie, betraying no sound except for his steadily increasing heartbeat.

_Where am I?_

Seonghwa's inner voice was like an echo, loud enough to shatter the silence that covered him. He took a step forward, the ground feeling like rough granite beneath the exposed soles of his feet.

 _Something_ out there suddenly called out to him, the sound as feathery as the spring's breeze. But it unsettled him, because that voice sounded apprehensively familiar...

As if he was tugged around by invisible ropes, Seonghwa inched forward, his breaths growing more and more unstable.

Laughter cut through the darkness, bright and sprinkled with mischief. Seonghwa felt his heart swell with terror.

 _Come a little closer_...

Seonghwa didn't _want_ to come closer, but his body wasn't listening to him. With each step he took, the road got narrower and narrower, making him feel extreme claustrophobia.

Abruptly, an unknown force slammed itself into him, pushing him further and further down the road, and Seonghwa couldn't stop it. His heart raced, trepidation pounding through his core.

He wanted to scream -- to _shout --_ because maybe then someone could come and _save_ him. But no sound came.

A beam of light sliced through the dark, the force behind him rushing him along until Seonghwa was only mere centimeters away from the foreign light.

In a second, Seonghwa was staring into what appeared to be a _mirror_. Slowly but surely, a figure began to materialize on the other side, striking even more fear into Seonghwa's heart.

The shadow in front of him continued to twist and turn like a pillar of dense smoke, until something that resembled _him_ remained.

Seonghwa wanted to _run_ , but it was like his limbs had melted into place. The thing in front of him slipped _out_ of the mirror, all crooked smiles, terrifying scarlet eyes and long, gnarly fangs.

Then it grabbed Seonghwa.

In an instant, the dark haired male sat up like he'd been resurrected, inhaling huge breaths that did next to nothing to shatter the sheer _horror_ he was feeling.

Seonghwa knew he'd just had a nightmare, but that didn't mean it didn't feel as real and as vivid as ever.

The strangest part was how he'd never had a nightmare this surreal before, and that made everything more fear-inducing.

" _Fuck_ ," he silently cursed, planting himself back on his bed. Unease still simmered inside his chest, but soon enough wrath mixed with it.

This was primarily Hongjoong's fault. If he hadn't come along with his stupid unusual abilities and meddled in Seonghwa's affairs, Seonghwa wouldn't be having these nightmares right now.

' _You're so interesting, Seonghwa. You always tell me to leave you alone, yet you clearly want me around you...'_

Seonghwa tightly shut his eyes as he tried to will away the shorter's nagging words.

 _I don't want you around me_ , he thought. _And, I guess I was right, because I do remember the stuff we did earlier. Hah_.

Seonghwa's nose crinkled at his thoughts. _You're so goddamn cringe_.

Hongjoong's elated giggles rippled inside his mind, causing Seonghwa to tightly press his pillow against his head. Maybe suffocation would stop him from thinking about the shorter and finally go back to sleep. That sounded like a good plan.

Hongjoong's giggles only got louder. Fuck.

⛓️

  
It'd been a highly stressful Saturday for Seonghwa so far, with him going to in detention that morning all because of Hongjoong, before heading to the cafe he worked part time at on the weekends, catering to snappy old people, depressed teens and rude helicopter moms. It was nothing but _terrible_.

Thank _god_ his shift was ending in a few minutes.

"Hey, you can leave now," one of his coworkers for the day, a nice college student by the name of Jung Nara told him then. Once Seonghwa met her gaze, she grinned, jokingly flicking his arm with a napkin.

"Really?" Seonghwa asked even when his mind was literally _cheering_. "I still have like, twenty minutes left."

Nara stepped behind Seonghwa, quickly undoing his apron for him. The first few times he'd spent working here, her touchiness had sort of irked him, mostly because he wasn't into physical affection, but then he learnt that's how she usually was with her coworkers. And even when Seonghwa was mostly used to it now, it still made him a bit iffy whenever she initiated contact with him.

He never spoke up though. Nara was his boss's daughter, after all.

"Don't worry, Seonghwa," Nara assured behind him. "What's twenty minutes anyway?"

Seonghwa let out a breathy laugh, itching for Nara to finish untying his apron already. "Right. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she answered. "See you tomorrow!"

Seonghwa grabbed his bag, giving her a hasty wave and smile before leaving the cafe altogether. He couldn't head to Mingi's house right now because the taller was currently busy with babysitting his cousins, which was quite the bummer.

Seonghwa couldn't help but chuckle a bit when he read his friend's latest text messages.

**\- mings**   
_heeellpp_   
_domi_ _and_ _jigyu_ _are killing_ _meee_

**\- mings**   
_theyre_ _so cute but_ _theyre_ _like little demons that crave all my attention_

Seonghwa peered at the setting sky, the orange clouds igniting a sense of dread in him despite how picturesque they appeared. Hongjoong's eyes flashed at the back of his mind.

 _Stop thinking about him_.

Seonghwa typed his reply.

 **\- seongs**   
_lmaoo_  
 _are you good now?_

**\- mings**   
_you replied!!_   
_and yes, im good_   
_mostly_

**\- mings**   
_i wish u were w me rn_

**\- seongs**   
_sorry haha_   
_but my house and my bed are calling out to me_

**\- mings**   
_:,(_   
_are you done with work?_

**\- seongs**   
_yes_

**\- mings**   
_i'll come over later tonight_   
_would that be okay with u?_   
_it'll be like a sleepover_

Seonghwa wouldn't have minded that, to be honest. His father was probably not home, and staying at his house alone made it more difficult to _not_ _think_.

**\- seongs**   
_yes, sure_

**\- mings**   
_(づ￣ ³￣)づ thank_ _uu_

Seonghwa frowned at his friend's text, especially at the emoticon. It reminded him of Hongjoong's note for him on Wednesday, and his heart squeezed.

**\- seongs**   
_dont send that emoticon again_

**\- mings**   
_huh, why?_

**\- seongs**   
_i dont like it_

**\- mings**   
_ok, duly noted👌🏻_

A boy of around twelve years passed Seonghwa then, muttering a quick 'excuse me' as he fiddled with his scooter on the sidewalk.

Normally, Seonghwa wouldn't have paid much mind to him. The boy was a stranger and did nothing to spark his attention, but something ended up catching his eye.

The kid had a shadow. No -- _two_ shadows.

One was the direct replica of the boy with his scooter, while the latter was rather wide and lengthy, stretching more and more upwards with each second that passed.

Seonghwa stood still in shock, not really knowing what to do. The second shadow had him remembering what Hongjoong'd fought that night they'd first talked, and it made him more anxious than ever.

To make matters worse, _no one_ else appeared to notice a thing, not even the boy.

Like tearing off duct-tape from the wall, the shadow rose from the ground and started to corner the child.

And then Seonghwa was moving, rushing past a rather irritated lady who'd been in the way of him getting to the boy. He barely had time to apologize however, because right there in the distance the dark figure was closing in on the boy like some cloak of evil.

Seonghwa continued to run, because he had to find a way to get the kid out of there even if he had no idea _how_.

But before he could be within arm's reach, something grabbed him by the arm and shoved him into an alleyway.

The suddenness rendered Seonghwa speechless, and when he registered who'd just manhandled him, his breath hitched in his throat.

 _Hongjoong_.

But Hongjoong wasn't even looking _at_ him. He stared in the boy's direction, his cold fists on Seonghwa's chest sending chills down his back.

Seonghwa felt like he couldn't breathe, like he was drowning right under Hongjoong's fingertips. "Get.. get off me."

Hongjoong looked back at him, his yellow eyes as warm as the dimming sunset. "What were you trying to do back there?"

Seonghwa grabbed the shorter's wrist, only for Hongjoong's piercing eyes to burn more intensely. "I tried to _save_ that boy, so let me go."

Hongjoong did and stepped away. "You wouldn't have been able to."

Seonghwa stared out the alleyway, realizing the boy was now nowhere to be seen. "Shit. You stopped me from _helping_ him."

"Like I said earlier: you _wouldn't_ have been able to," Hongjoong pressed. He pushed past a fuming Seonghwa and jutted his chin at someone next to a shop. "Yun, you good?"

Seonghwa's ears perked at the name, the aforementioned male showing up only a few seconds later.

Yunho froze as soon as he saw Seonghwa. "Uh...Hi, Seonghwa." He tried to put something away, only for Hongjoong to shake his head.

"No use," the shorter played with the sleeves of his bloodred cashmere sweater. "Seonghwa saw the _Mon_."

Again, Seonghwa was the only one feeling confused out of the three, but right now he was just _too_ tired to question what Hongjoong just said.

So he decided to go with the next best thing. "Hey, Yunho. You got the shadow thingy?"

Yunho laughed, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement. "Well, we should probably sit down and talk about it."

"Sure," Seonghwa nodded. Finding a free table for three in front of a convenience store, Yunho and Seonghwa sat side by side while Hongjoong took the one right across from Seonghwa.

Yunho placed a silver compact mirror on the table, his movements a bit cautious.

"Can I touch it?" Seonghwa asked.

"You _can't_ ," Hongjoong spat from across the table. It was obvious he was still a little mad at what had took place between him and Seonghwa earlier. "Unless you wanna get sucked in and die -- "

"What he means," Yunho cut in, "is that it's only _us_ that can hold it."

Seonghwa kept watching the mirror, observing the exterior. To others, it would've probably looked like a normal compact mirror, and maybe that was the point. Seonghwa couldn't ease away his curiosity though. He wanted to feel it, see if it was truly real.

"You guys aren't human," he uttered.

Yunho put the mirror back into his pocket. "Not really."

Seonghwa locked eyes with the taller. "What'd you do to the shadow thing?"

"They're called _Mons_ ," Hongjoong added, but he went virtually ignored.

Yunho chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well...I got it away from the kid, subdued it somewhere dark and used the mirror to get rid of it."

"So...that's why I couldn't touch that thing. It's because I'm human and you guys _aren't_ fully one?"

Yunho smiled. "Yeah, kinda like that."

"This is weird," Seonghwa said. "I mean, no offense, but this whole thing still seems unreal."

" _Yeah right_." Hongjoong scoffed with his arms crossed. Seonghwa glared at him, noticing the stray red streak in his hair and his many earrings, and he wondered how the shorter had the time to dress so outlandish every single day.

"Please, shut up," Seonghwa said, not letting Hongjoong's glare bother him anymore.

"You wish." Hongjoong leant over the table, his eyes never leaving Seonghwa's. "Now that you said that, I'm gonna annoy you every fucking day from now on."

Yunho awkwardly patted Seonghwa's back. "Don't mind my brother. He's kidding."

"I'm not."

"He is."

"I am _not_."

Seonghwa could only groan as to what was to come from Hongjoong's incredibly burdensome self.


	10. power

Seonghwa's bedroom was drenched with darkness, a cool breeze drifting through the blinds, but Seonghwa _wasn't_ comfortable. It had nothing to do with his best friend or with the firm mattress digging into his back. Everything was _internal_ , and that was the frustrating part.

He thought of his interaction with Hongjoong and Yunho, of that shadow (or Mon-whatever) that they'd captured. He remembered what Hongjoong had told him about not being able to do anything to stop the shadow, his words the catalyst to the scenarios that began puncturing his mind.

What would've happened if the two brothers _hadn't_ shown up? Would the shadow have injured the kid? What if Hongjoong hadn't stopped him on time and he ended up _touching_ the shadow in some way?

What would have happened to Seonghwa then?

The dark haired boy grunted, annoyed that his thoughts on the matter just _wouldn't_ stop forming.

"...Hey." Mingi's mumble made Seonghwa blink and come back to reality. "Trouble sleeping?"

He stared at his friend, thankful for the respectable distance the taller had set in place between them. The little lamp beside the bed lazily casted ocean blue lights on their bodies, making Mingi's eyes appear even darker than they usually were.

Seonghwa stared at the ceiling, its patterns distracting him momentarily. "...Yes."

"Anything on your mind?" Mingi asked, keeping his voice hushed. His considerate actions calmed Seonghwa down, as he'd never been a fan of loud noises.

"No, not really," Seonghwa shook his head. He kept staring at the ceiling, his mind wandering to a place with dim blue skies, boys with wicked smirks and spellbounding laughter, and huge glimmering stars that burst into every colour imaginable. For a moment, Seonghwa wanted to be back there again.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Seonghwa met Mingi's gaze. The taller boy smiled, his unblinking stare making Seonghwa sputter an unexpected chuckle.

"Go to sleep."

Mingi inched a little bit closer and Seonghwa stopped laughing. "I mean it, Hwa. I know you sometimes feel alone, but I want you to know I'll always be there for you."

His words weren't what Seonghwa had expected but he appreciated it. Only he didn't really know how to display it, as he was awkward with emotions.

"Uh, thanks, Mingi," Seonghwa replied, not knowing what else to add that _wouldn't_ make things weirder.

Mingi's smile grew as soon as Seonghwa cracked one himself. "No problem."

The shorter shut his eyes, trying to clear his head and finally get some sleep. But that proved futile when he started remembering tonight's incident, Hongjoong's red sweater with sleeves that hugged his hands, as well as his promise to keep annoying him. It made Seonghwa want to scream because thinking of the shorter only got him more _pissed_ and restless.

He sighed. "...Mingi?"

"Hmm?" Mingi watched him, but Seonghwa didn't have the guts to return his stare.

"Am I boring?"

A pause, before Mingi burst into disbelieving chuckles. "What?"

"Just -- " Seonghwa shut his eyes. "Answer me. Honestly."

"You're not boring."

"You're lying."

"I'm telling the _truth_ ," Mingi corrected, tone oozing with conviction. "You're stable, smart, and funny when you really wanna be. You have the _best_ laugh too, like ' _haah_ _h_ \--"

Seonghwa lightly smacked Mingi's chest before the taller could try and impersonate his laughter. "Shut up."

"I mean it, though."

"Am I interesting?"

"You're _very_ interesting," Mingi confirmed, but then his face was screwing with confusion. "Hey -- did someone say something to you?"

Seonghwa looked away. "...No."

"...Was it Hongjoong?" Mingi asked after a couple heartbeats. "I mean I saw him with you a few times and -- "

"He didn't tell me _anything_ ," Seonghwa denied. " _Nothing_ of the sort was spoken about."

"But you guys still hung out."

Seonghwa quietly whined, not liking where this conversation was going. It felt so strange taking about _Hongjoong_ with Mingi. "We weren't hanging out."

"So what were you two doing then?"

Seonghwa flipped himself to the opposite side so that his back now faced his best friend. "I kinda want to go to sleep now."

Silence, and then a small sigh. "Alright, Hwa. Goodnight..."

Seonghwa nodded, hoping he'd be able to sleep well tonight. "Night, Mingi."

⛓️

  
Choi San had been talking to Seonghwa and Mingi by the lockers early that Monday morning when Seonghwa's instinctively drifted over to Hongjoong, who was walking down the hall with some smiling girl next to him, seemingly engaged in some kind of conversation with her. The girl's cyan blue sweater and black skirt looked comically _underwhelming_ next to Hongjoong's vermilion overalls and beret, which he _somehow_ managed to pull off, yet again.

As the unnamed girl hurriedly scribbled something down on a piece of paper, Hongjoong looked up and caught Seonghwa's eyes on him.

And then he was _smirking_. Right there. Where everybody could see.

Seonghwa's entire face flamed up (but he took it as him being annoyed), and turned back to Mingi and San, who were now _watching_ him.

Seonghwa blinked. "What?"

San was the first to speak up. "Did Kim Hongjoong just _smirk_ at you? I mean, he _is_ kinda hot, but still."

"He did _not_ ," Seonghwa denied. "He did not smirk. Let's just -- let's stop talking about it."

Mingi must've sensed Seonghwa's discomfort on the topic, because he swiftly changed the subject. "Wait, you find Hongjoong hot? I thought you were straight."

San opened his locker. "I'm bi. You?"

"Can't say."

San stared Seonghwa down as if he knew something the taller didn't. "You?"

Okay, _now_ Seonghwa wouldn't have minded San raving about how 'hot' Hongjoong supposedly was. Anything but _this_.

"Seonghwa's never liked anyone before," Mingi said, which only served to make matters worse.

San gasped, completely forgetting about the books he wanted to take from his locker. "Wait -- _really_?"

Seonghwa groaned. "Stop it."

"Seriously; he's _never_ liked anyone since I befriended him," Mingi said with a chuckle. He then proceeded to sling an arm around a very unamused Seonghwa. "It's like a superpower or something."

"Maybe you haven't met the right girl -- _or guy_ \-- yet," San pointed out, only to draw out an eye-roll from Seonghwa.

"I am very much straight. I'd greatly appreciate it if you guys stop talking about this, thank you."

But even with that, Seonghwa's eyes searched about the halls for a certain boy with overalls, only to realize he wasn't there anymore.

⛓️

  
Luckily, Seonghwa had an hour of p.e on Mondays, which meant he'd finally get to know just what Hongjoong had meant by 'studying the ones closest to him'. Did people like the shorter attend this school as well? And were they less obvious than Hongjoong, going about their lives without others suspecting them of being something else other than human?

As soon as Seonghwa got dressed into his sportswear and headed to the field, he couldn't help but discreetly observe every student he passed. Or maybe it _wasn't_ the students he should've been watching, but the _teachers_.

God this was so frustrating.

"You look bothered," Mingi said, surprising Seonghwa a bit since he hadn't realized he'd gotten all caught up in his thoughts again. "You okay?"

"I am," Seonghwa replied, hoping his friend believed him even when his tone sounded very, _very_ unconvincing. _Only the fact that Hongjoong keeps driving me crazy with his theories and vague ass words_. _He just makes me so annoyed_.

Hongjoong's eyes met his from the bleachers, his amused gaze shooting sparks of thrill down Seonghwa's spine.

 _But interested_. _.._

⛓️

  
As soon as the coach allowed for breaks doing p.e, Seonghwa was rushing to where Hongjoong sat, hoping -- but believing -- that Mingi wouldn't have minded it too much. He also hoped his friend wouldn't bug him about it later, because the guy just _loved_ teasing him whenever he got the opportunity to do so.

But _of course_ , Hongjoong being the little shit he was decided to sit on the side of the bleachers that was the furthest from the ground. Even when the distance didn't physically affect Seonghwa, it still made him a _little_ bit furious.

Soon enough, he stood in front of Hongjoong, pretending he didn't notice how the murky grey skies made his remarkable eyes stand out more.

"I..." Seonghwa started to speak, only for Hongjoong to raise a finger.

"You're blocking my way," Hongjoong said, waving his hand in a scooting motion. "Dasom went out to get some snacks for us before the teacher returns. I'm on the lookout."

Seonghwa blinked. He did _not_ expect that. " _Huh_?"

Hongjoong leant back, slowly taking in Seonghwa's form with his eyes. "I must admit you don't look too bad, but I gotta keep my promise. So move."

Seonghwa, for a moment there, didn't know what to say. But he was irritated, and didn't like the teasing glint in the shorter's eyes.

"...We need to talk," he eventually answered.

"Nah."

 _What the hell?_ Seonghwa's pulse raced and he was sure he probably had a vein popping on his forehead by now. "Hongjoong, what the fuck are you doing? _You_ were the one who told me there are others like you, and now when I'm _trying_ to talk to you, you act like an infuriating piece of -- "

" _Dasom-ah_!" Hongjoong piped up, hopping to his feet to side-step Seonghwa and act like he didn't even exist.

For a couple seconds Seonghwa didn't move, but his eyes followed Hongjoong to where he was now excitedly chatting with that same girl from earlier, completely ignoring his existence. He _really_ couldn't believe this.

Sure, he and Hongjoong weren't exactly 'friends', but that didn't mean they could suddenly pretend they didn't fucking matter. Seonghwa didn't want to admit it, but seeing him with a girl didn't sit right with him.

 _He's only doing this to get me all worked up,_ Seonghwa thought, disbelief mixing with some other foreign emotion inside him. He _despised_ the tightness in his chest, deciding on pushing aside whatever he felt and walking away before things got worse.

Seonghwa suddenly wished he hadn't gotten himself involved with Hongjoong.

⛓️

  
The rest of p.e dragged on slowly, every second ticking by adding to the flare of fury swivelling inside Seonghwa. It didn't help that the sun was finally shining now, casting unbearable heat wherever the eighteen-year-old went.

It only made him madder, so much so that Mingi and San noticed it. They never mentioned it though, but cracked jokes and shielded him from the sun whenever they could which Seonghwa was grateful for.

He tried his hardest not to focus on Hongjoong or look his way too much. He had his _own_ friends, the shorter wasn't anyone special. Seonghwa didn't care about him.

But his eyes often strayed towards the shorter, especially now that he was one of the students running now. San was there as well, so before Hongjoong could catch him staring, Seonghwa focused his gaze on his friend instead.

As soon as the race started, Seonghwa kept his eyes on San, noticing how he quickly sped past most of the other guys in a matter of seconds. It wasn't surprising though, as Seonghwa knew his friend was quite fast in running. But, the fact that he was keeping up with _Hongjoong_ of all people quickly caught his attention.

Seonghwa didn't know if it'd been intentional or not, but Hongjoong seemed to _slow down,_ leaving San to unanimously lead the race.

Cheers erupted as soon as San crossed the finish line first, a bright grin plastered across the boy's face as the coach marked his score down. It looked like no one had noticed anything, all except for Seonghwa.

"I _knew_ not skipping leg day would work," San joked as soon as he headed up to where Mingi and Seonghwa sat.

Mingi threw a water bottle at him as he laughed, his eyes forming crescents. "I don't think I've ever seen you finish a race that quick before."

It was then Hongjoong glanced back from where he stood, making sure Seonghwa saw him before subtly gesturing at San's legs. It looked like he wanted to know if the taller had indeed seen it, and he _had_.

He'd seen San's legs _stretch_.


	11. mixed feelings

Seonghwa had been resting against the porch outside his house, as his room felt too congested for him and he needed some fresh air to get his storming thoughts sorted out, when suddenly something tickled the tip of his nose, causing him to promptly open his eyes.

He was then faced with Hongjoong floating in front of him, _upside down_ like he was Spiderman or something. Seonghwa's heart lurched in his throat, threatening to choke him with how fast it raced.

" _Hi_ ," Hongjoong purred, purposefully blowing air on Seonghwa's nose.

His heart still pounding wildly, Seonghwa grimaced and pushed Hongjoong away, only for the shorter to slide over to him again, _still_ upside down.

" _Fuck_ ," Seonghwa spat, to Hongjoong's amusement, "can you _not_ do that?"

Hongjoong's body tilted to the side. "Do what?"

Seonghwa remembered that he was still mad at the shorter. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you right now."

Hongjoong smiled knowingly. " _Riiightt_ ," he drawled, rolling around and settling on the floor like used to doing it a lot, his moves fluid like a fish in water. "I know you're still mad at me for hanging out with Dasom."

Seonghwa scoffed, his palms digging into the surface of the porch. He pretended he didn't notice Hongjoong taking the spot beside him, his legs dangling over the edge like a small child.

"I don't give a shit about who you spend time with," Seonghwa replied.

Hongjoong played with his nails. "You got bothered, didn't you?"

Seonghwa's nostrils flared. "I did _not_."

The shorter boy laughed. "I don't believe you. In fact, I think you were... _kinda jealous_."

Seonghwa laughed, his breathing coming out in short spurts because he couldn't believe Hongjoong just said that. "Me? _Jealous_?"

Hongjoong looked really smug though, staring at him like he could _read_ him entirely. Seonghwa didn't like that.

Seonghwa's breathy laughter dissipated into awkward sounding chortles when he realized that Hongjoong kept _staring_ at him. "...Hongjoong -- "

Said male shifted closer, their thighs mere millimeters from touching. Immediately, Seonghwa swallowed, Hongjoong's cologne invading his senses. It smelt sweet, _fragrant_ even. Like aromatic wine.

Seonghwa stood there, so ridiculously shell-shocked it was almost funny and pathetic. His mind was fogged up, he didn't know where to look. Whether staring at the shorter's mystifying eyes or at the graceful curve of his glossy lips, this felt so desirably _wrong_.

Without any warning, Hongjoong moved away and poked Seonghwa's shoulder, rendering the taller finally able to breathe properly again. "I bought a new perfume. You like it?"

Seonghwa coughed. "What the fuck."

Hongjoong chuckled, unaffected by what he just did. "You cuss a lot when you're mad."

Seonghwa rubbed his face, biting back a snarky reply that would've probably made things more tense between them. He wanted to forget what'd just happened. "...San's like you and Yunho."

Hongjoong's shoulders hunched, and then he was combing his hands down his hair. "I guess."

"' _I guess_ '? That's all you have to say?"

Hongjoong sighed, shrugging. "What else am I supposed to say? ' _Hurray you finally figured out your friend's just_ _like_ _me'_ _?_ Do you want a fuckin' cookie or a gold star or somethin'?"

Seonghwa's cheeks burned. The other's cookie comment reminded him he hadn't eaten anything since lunch, but obviously he wouldn't mention that. "...You should've told me sooner."

Hongjoong crossed his arms, the hard lines of his face softening. He looked all too _knowing_ again. "You should talk to him."

"I don't know how I'm gonna go about that." Seonghwa shoved his hands into the pockets of his loose grey sweatpants.

"Simple; just ask him. If it makes things any easier, we work together."

Seonghwa chuckled incredulously, because he should've expected this. The more he discovered about Hongjoong, the less he actually _knew_ , but even with that he was no stranger to the reality that Hongjoong just _loved_ keeping secrets.

But then again, the two boys weren't anything to each other. Secrets _shouldn't_ have mattered. They shouldn't have mattered at all.

"You're mad," Hongjoong said a second later.

Seonghwa kicked at nothing, inhaling a huge breath. "I'm not."

The night sky was almost pitch black, and the moon wasn't there to shine on anything. The stars glittered like tiny gemstones in the dark, and Seonghwa thought about how it'd feel if he could touch one of them. He'd probably evaporate due to the heat, but he didn't think he'd mind.

Hongjoong whistled, earning Seonghwa's attention. When the taller watched him, Hongjoong was looking at the sky as well, his brown locks slightly swaying with the breeze. "...I could take you there, y'know?"

Seonghwa blinked, their eyes meeting. "...What?"

"You look like you wanna be there," Hongjoong explained, "I could take you there sometime."

"Yeah, as if I'm supposed to believe _that_."

"I _can_ , though. Remember when I took you to _Stellar_? We can go see the stars in another dimension I know," Hongjoong smiled, his fingers softly hitting the porch. _Tap,_ _tap-tap_ _, tap, tap-tap-tap_.

Seonghwa realized he'd been internally counting the steps. He cleared his throat. "What's your favourite star?"

"I like a lot of 'em, but _Antares_ is cool." Hongjoong's face made it clear he hadn't expected Seonghwa to ask him that question, or get interested enough to want to know what he liked. Seonghwa didn't know how he was supposed to feel about that.

"Why do you like it?" He asked.

Hongjoong grinned, his canines making him appear like some vampire. But Seonghwa knew vampires weren't real... _right_? "Tell me, _Seonggie_ , why do you wanna know?"

Seonghwa exhaled, deciding not to say anything about that dumb nickname the shorter seemed to already like calling him by. "Just answer the question already."

Hongjoong chuckled and shrugged. "First of all it's yellow-orange, kinda like my eyes. It's _also_ a part of the Scorpius constellation, which I like since I'm a Scorpio. And Scorpios are one of the coolest people ever. So... _yeah_. Also, it's a _really_ pretty star."

Seonghwa bit the inside of his cheek to stop the little smile that was starting to grow. Hongjoong looked like the equivalent of a bubbly kid asked about their favourite thing to do. His legs also shook a lot, like he couldn't contain himself.

Hongjoong faced him. "You're smiling."

Seonghwa made his face appear stoic, trying to look normal. "I wasn't."

Hongjoong smirked, about to say something else when something stumbled near the vicinity, startling both boys.

Seonghwa's heart sank as soon as he recognized that silhouette and dread seeped into him. He immediately got off the porch, his legs suddenly feeling like paper.

"...Seonghwa?" A man's voice called through the dark, prompting Seonghwa to move as quick as could towards him, his fists clenched so tight they were almost shaking.

His father smiled as soon as he saw him, but it looked more like a weak grimace. His short black hair was a mess and his dress shirt was crumpled, not even buttoned properly. Redness coated the skin below his eyes, giving them a bloodshot glow. Fuck. Of course he was drunk.

"D-Dad," Seonghwa let out, his nails digging to hard into his palms. He wanted to punch something -- _anything_. He should've stayed inside his room like he'd originally planned to do, but _of course_ he didn't. _Of course_ his dad just had to show up at this moment. _Of course_ Hongjoong had to be there. _Of course, of course, of cours_ _e_.

"Son," Seonghwa's father grinned, almost tripping on his feet. When Seonghwa moved in to support the man, the smell of alcohol was so prevalent it infuriated him even more.

"I actually went to -- to work this time around. Sooo many hours and the boss is a piece o' shit. But you gotta do what you gotta do to earn money, right?" The man hiccuped. "Are ya proud of me now, son?"

Seonghwa bit his lip until it became outright _painful_ , but he didn't care. He wanted to scream, embarrassment and shame swirling in his gut until he couldn't take it anymore. "You...drank again, didn't you?"

His father's eyes stretched comically wide. " _Swear_ it was only one. I-I know you hate it, son, so I only drank one bottle. I only drank one bottle for you. I swear I did."

Seonghwa didn't cry, because he never did. Not even when his mother died. Like always, he was going to endure and push through it. Because that was easier. _It always was_.

His father stopped watching him, his gaze now focused on something behind him.

"Hi!" The man waved, his movements sloppy and uncoordinated. Seonghwa's body instantly stiffened. This couldn't be happening. "Who are you, kid? I've never seen ya around. You and Seonghwa friends?"

Seonghwa's jaw clenched, avoiding Hongjoong's stare even it was clear the shorter had seen everything.

Seonghwa let his father go. "Please, just head inside."

To make matters worse, right then Hongjoong _showed up_ , bowing respectfully to the man. "Uh, hello, Mr. Park. I'm Hongjoong. Seonghwa and I go to the same school."

Seonghwa fists clenched so hard they turned white. Still, he refrained from looking Hongjoong's way and tried his hardest to calm himself down.

"Go inside, dad. I need to talk to Hongjoong about something," he advised his father, but the man wasn't even paying attention to him.

"Really?" Mr Park said, a dopey smile etched on his face as he addressed Hongjoong. "My son rarely brings people over, so this is kind of a pleasant surprise. Y'know, sometimes I feel he maybe hates it here. And I admit, things have been difficult ever since -- "

"Just fucking head inside already!" Seonghwa seethed, his anger at an all-time high.

His father halted, blinking slowly as if he was still processing his son's words. And then, he nodded. "Okay."

Seonghwa kept his eyes on the ground as his father limped into the house, his gaze hard and aggrieved. His breathing came out in short, enraged pants and his hands still formed fists.

Silence dawned on both boys, but Hongjoong soon broke it.

"You didn't have to talk to your father in that way."

Seonghwa let out a short, mirthless laugh. "You don't know _anything_."

Hongjoong crossed his arms, inching closer to him. "Still doesn't give you an excuse to treat him that way."

Seonghwa chewed his lip, aching for _all this_ to just be some kind of stupid dream. Hongjoong's words hit him, because yeah, he did know he shouldn't have talked to his dad like that, but frankly he didn't give a shit. His father had done worse anyway.

"You should..." Seonghwa whispered, finally looking up, "you should go..."

Hongjoong placed his hand on Seonghwa's shoulder, causing him to tense up. Which was really idiotic, because the shorter boy was _only_ touching him, nothing else.

"I'm sorry if my words came out too harshly," Hongjoong began, oblivious to Seonghwa's racing thoughts. "Obviously, I have no idea of whatever relationship you have with your dad. I just..."

Seonghwa watched him, but the other boy was staring at the ground now. Two of his lashes were the same shade as his eyes, Seonghwa discovered.

"...Just what?" Seonghwa asked, his voice coming out rough.

Hongjoong grinned and chuckled, though they looked a little forced. "Nothing!" He patted the taller's neck, making Seonghwa's face flame up. "Just...take it a little easy on your dad, okay?"

Seonghwa gulped. Hongjoong was back to staring at him again, his piercing eyes leaving him only able to nod. What was going on with him?

"That's good. And...uh," Hongjoong reached upwards like he'd caught something -- which he just did.

And it was a box of cookies.

"How -- " Seonghwa closed his mouth. He didn't even feel like asking.

Hongjoong smiled, looking sort of... _shy_? "I decided to actually _give_ you some cookies. Guess I felt bad, I dunno. Don't worry, there are a bunch of cookies inside, so you _should_ find one you'd like to eat -- _oomph_."

Seonghwa didn't know what'd came over him then. He stepped in and pulled Hongjoong in for a hug, shutting his eyes and swallowing the lump stuck in his throat. "...I like cookies. Thanks."

Hongjoong stood there, frozen for what seemed like hours. But then he slowly, _nervously_ , stroked the back of Seonghwa's dark hair, his touch calming down the taller boy tremendously. "It's uh, it's okay. I mean, it's just cookies. But...you're welcome."

Seonghwa didn't reply, but he didn't _need_ to. He was just glad Hongjoong was here with him tonight.


	12. inception

Teleporting hadn't always been an easy feat for Hongjoong, but now he could say he'd definitely mastered the core use of it. He liked how _free_ he felt when he slipped through time and space, flying through worlds and feeling all invincible; like he was in control. Like he could do _anything_.

It was one of the minute things about himself that made him experience something similar to happiness, mostly because he was _good_ at it.

Or so he'd thought.

What'd happened earlier tonight between him and Seonghwa didn't necessarily _affect_ him, but it _did_ make him absentminded in a way that caused him to lose his bearings and nearly tumble over the sleek, brick roof he'd just fallen on.

Seonghwa's words and the way he'd reacted to his dad never left Hongjoong's mind, and when he stared at the greenish moon on the sky he remembered how the Earth's moonlight drenched the taller's sullen form and highlighted the nearly hidden sadness in his eyes.

The image got Hongjoong distracted, resulting in him losing his footing ( _again_ ). He caught himself on time though and flew downwards, jumping over roofs until he leapt quite literally into his brother's arms.

Yunho looked unimpressed, but it was hardly intimidating when he just ended up appearing like a sulky puppy. "You're late."

Hongjoong grinned. "The time over here's different." He gestured to the other boy seated next to Yunho, still in his brother's hold. "'Sup, Minho."

It wasn't often Hongjoong had to work with people with different specialisations than him and Yunho, _especially_ in a dimension like this, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen the other male more than once before.

Lee Minho grinned, dressed all in black like the brothers themselves. Dark attires that weren't too loose and could hold weapons were encouraged around here, but the dress code wasn't too strict which Hongjoong _loved_.

"Hey, Hongjoong. Been a while since we've worked together. How's it going?" Minho asked, his eyes a wild orange that looked quite similar to Hongjoong's. Only his pupils were convex-shaped whereas Hongjoong's were round, which would only make sense once his _other_ form came out.

"Good. But school is crap," Hongjoong answered as he slung his arm around Yunho's shoulder, causing the taller to grumble like his weight was bothering him. But it was all for show, though. Yunho was anything _but_ weak.

"Then why don't you stay home like your brother?" Minho laughed, but his sharp eyes were focused on the ruins the laid low before them in a misty and sewer-like green mess.

"It's weird, but I kinda sorta _like_ learning." Hongjoong decided to plant his entire body on Yunho's lap, but his brother quickly shoved him off. It reminded him of when he'd tried sneaking into Seonghwa's room, only for the taller to push him away. The taller had then reached out in an attempt to catch him, maybe thinking that Hongjoong would've gotten hurt as a result of his actions.

Hongjoong lightly snickered at the thought, but then it ceased as soon as Seonghwa's downtrodden face from earlier tonight entered his head.

Seonghwa could be aggravatingly stubborn, hilariously oblivious and too damn _curious_ for his own good a lot of the time, but that didn't mean Hongjoong didn't care about him -- even if it was a little bit. Maybe.

Seonghwa had barged into Hongjoong's life like a thunderstorm, going from an almost-stranger to someone who frequently occupied his mind even when he didn't want him to. He was the guy who barely laughed or smiled or showed any ounce of emotion; polite to others but had sort of a temper when things didn't go his way. He was the guy whose clothes weren't the best yet couldn't, for the life of him, successfully downplay his attractiveness no matter how much he tried. He cursed an awful lot when mad, was hard-headed to a fault, and obviously didn't see himself in a positive light, but Hongjoong still couldn't stop thinking about him.

Yunho's hand fisted his dagger, the weapon glinting through the dimly lit area. His sappire coloured eyes were more alert now, the usually transparent veins running along his arms pulsing with electric blue. "I can hear them coming."

Hongjoong immediately hopped to his feet, pushing any and all thoughts about Seonghwa to the back of his mind. The height from the abandoned industrial building the three males stood on to the foggy ground didn't faze him in the slightest; he was used to this, after all.

Minho was the first to jump down into the mesh of _Mons_ , claws extended and teeth bared like the wild cat hybrid he was.

Yunho sank down after, his eyes cold and his stance set to kill. His dagger glazed with blinding light that sizzled with lightning sparks, hurriedly slitting the first Mon's throat and incinerating it into thin air.

It was clear they were both focused on separate areas of the industrial site, so Hongjoong raced into another direction and jumped past several roofs until he plunged and rolled into position.

Fortunately, his advanced vision allowed him to see all the Mons advancing towards him. _Unfortunately_ , blotches of murky, greenish water were splattered all over the lumpy soil, which Hongjoong didn't like.

His black platform boots allowed for him to step over the miniature pools with ease, but that didn't mean he enjoyed seeing his reflection on them. At least their glossy surfaces informed him of the Mons which were currently rushing in on him.

Hongjoong grabbed one by its neck and twisted it, the shadow's disgustingly cold and slobbery venom almost splashing on him. He crushed another one of them with his boots, swiftly pulling out a rifle that shot flaming balls of fire and aimed it at all the others, never missing once. Most Mons hated the heat and thrived in dark, freezing areas, so fire usually did a good job at vaporizing them.

Hongjoong never had a lot of problems facing them, but at that moment when he stepped into a large puddle, water splintering in all directions, he slightly halted, resulting in the nearest Mon slamming him to the ground.

Hongjoong rolled to the side to avoid the shadow's deadly claws and his body became even more submerged with dirty water. More Mons were coming in at insane speeds, so he quickly reached out for his rifle and shot one in the stomach, smacking another two with the weapon.

Hongjoong forced himself to his feet, narrowly dodging another set of Mons. His heart thumped loudly inside his chest, high on adrenaline and dread. He could feel the water buzzing on his skin and dripping off his leather clothing, but there was no way he could afford to let it distract him when there were literal _monsters_ out to get him.

Hongjoong shot more and more of them, loading the fireball rifle whenever he could and trying his hardest to ignore how ashy his skin had turned and how sharp his nails had gotten.

A pesky Mon clawed him by his wrist, its razor-sharp teeth ready to snap into his skin when Hongjoong punched it in the face and shot it out of existence.

Thankfully, his long-sleeved leather shirt stopped him from sustaining a major wound. By now the gun had lost most of its fuel, so Hongjoong began hitting the rest of the Mons with it, his strength allowing him to destroy those horrible things pretty quickly.

But then something pulled him by the foot and lunged him at the wet ground again, the rifle flying someplace else. Hongjoong was on high alert now, more water seeping into his back as the perpetrating Mon lurched to grab him.

Hongjoong didn't even have to think about it. He quickly drop-kicked the large monster and landed his hands on its umbra, the ice from his fingers tearing it to shreds in a matter of seconds.

The remaining Mons couldn't get to him as Minho and Yunho had already finished them off, so for a while Hongjoong just laid there on the soil, not wanting to get up.

Yunho walked up to him while Minho lingered at the back, adjusting his in-ear.

"Stand up," Yunho said, smiling despite all the dark marks that painted his face. He knelt down to Hongjoong's position, offering to help him up with one of his extra limbs.

Hongjoong smacked the tentacle away. "Leave me alone."

Yunho sighed. "What is it again?"

"I look like _it_ now... _right_?"

Yunho's blue eyes darkened. It was clear he didn't that his older brother was being like _this_ again. "You look _fine_."

Hongjoong huffed, pushing himself to his feet. Minho then passed him his rifle which he thanked him for. He watched his reflection in the puddle closest to him, and as soon as he caught sight of minty green and harsh gold he looked away.

" _Good job, guys!_ " A new voice exclaimed out of their in-ears. " _Sorry for like, being so absent, but I got so sleepy. Anyway, one more mission after this and I can go to sleep, so I'm pumped_!"

Yunho laughed at their words as he resumed his usual form, his tentacles curling into his back. Hongjoong wished his body could shift as fast as his could. "Thanks, Yeosang."

" _No problem_!" Yeosang yawned. " _In approximately ten seconds a_ _nother portal to Earth will open up at this location since not everyone can teleport like Hongjoong over_ _here_."

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. "I know. _I'm awesome_."

" _Yeah right_."

⛓️

Once he wasn't in an environment that needed him to fight and stay alert, Yunho was gentle, like a different person altogether. 

As soon as he'd warmed up some pizza for the both of them, he curled up on the couch with Hongjoong, nibbling on the slice while the older boy flipped through tv channels at the pace of a cheetah.

"So..." Yunho began as he settled his half-finished pizza on his plate.

Hongjoong raised his eyebrows, already done with his pizza. " _So_..."

  
"Where were you earlier tonight?"

Hongjoong took another slice of the cheese pizza. "I'd gone to see Seonghwa."

"I see..." Yunho slowly nodded, biting his lip in a way that caught Hongjoong's attention.

"What?"

The pink haired boy shook his head. "Nothing! But -- what did you guys talk about?"

Hongjoong narrowed his eyes. His brother was acting weird. "Uhh, we just... _talked_? I mean, he was being his dumb and annoying self for most of the time anyway -- nothing new. But he asked some questions and I answered and... _yeah_."

He wasn't going to say more, _especially_ what'd gone on between the taller boy and his father.

Yunho nodded again. "...What questions did he ask?"

Hongjoong's face screwed up in confusion. "Why are you asking?"

"Just... _because_." Yunho finished off his slice, his dollish blue eyes avoiding Hongjoong's at all cost. "...He'll come here again, right?"

Hongjoong laughed, mostly because he didn't know what else to do. Yunho had been acting a little different lately ever since Hongjoong had brought Seonghwa over for dinner, but he didn't want to admit that out loud. "Why do you want him to come over, huh?"

"Because you made him uncomfortable the first time he came," Yunho explained. "And I wanna change that. I want to know him better."

Hongjoong pretended he didn't notice his brother's reddened ears. "... _Right_."

"Right," Yunho repeated, before packing his plate and cup. "I'm full and tired, so I'm gonna head to my room now."

Hongjoong turned to face him. Yunho hadn't always been so happy-go-lucky or positive, so it warmed his heart when he noticed how content the taller appeared. "Seonghwa..."

Yunho paused, staring at Hongjoong with expectant eyes.

"...I can bring him over again if you want."

Yunho _beamed_. He'd always been one to wear his heart on his sleeve, and it was something Hongjoong usually admired about him. But for some reason now, Hongjoong didn't feel all too great.

" _Really_?" Yunho asked.

"Yeah." Hongjoong chewed his pizza slice to try and hide the slight frown on his face.

It was strange, because he really loved it when his brother grew all excited and smiley because of something, so...why didn't he feel the same way now?


	13. choi san

  
"So..."

Seonghwa looked up from his Chemistry notes which he'd been cramming since he had a test after lunch, his heart stuttering a little when he saw the familiar person standing in front of the oak tree he sat on.

It was hard to tell how San felt then; he didn't look too happy, but he wasn't ashamed either.

Seonghwa wondered if Hongjoong really _did_ tell San he now knew about him, but judging by San's body language, he probably did. "...Yeah? You wanna tell me anything?"

San still stood there, looking at Seonghwa like he was going to do something bad if he stepped closer. Seonghwa didn't like it, so he decided to speak up.

"Hongjoong was the one who let me know what you are."

At this, San flinched as if the taller's words hurt him. He quickly sat down on another root, keeping some distance. "I know. But you didn't have to say it like that."

Seonghwa shut his book with a frown, momentarily forgetting about his test. "Say it like what?"

San exhaled, raking his fingers through his dark locks. " _Look_ , I may not be a 'total human', but I really don't like being referred to as a ' _what_ '. Kinda makes me annoyed even though we're friends."

Seonghwa's frown eased, replaced by a twinge of guilt. He recollected the several times he'd called Hongjoong a ' _what_ ' instead of a ' _who_ ', and even if the shorter hadn't commented on it, it'd probably made him as mad as San felt right now. "Oh, I'm sorry."

San shrugged. "It's fine. Just -- you don't feel a type of way, right?"

"What do you mean?"

San glanced at him, his eyes an average brown that was reminiscent of the majority of students in this school. But now, Seonghwa wondered if they'd been contacts all along. "You don't feel weird around me, right? I mean, Hongjoong told me you reacted a kind of way towards him once you found out about his capabilities."

Seonghwa shook his head. Yes, he'd been shocked once he saw how San's legs had elongated during the race he had. Shock was even an _understatement_ as to what he'd felt at that point in time, but that didn't mean he'd want to stop being friends with him. Although he'd only befriended San at the start of his sophomore year, the shorter treated him well and didn't try to infiltrate his life with his beliefs like the others had tried to do. He was funny, sweet and thoughtful, and Seonghwa's opinion of him wasn't going to change anytime soon, despite what -- or _who_ he was.

"You're still my friend," Seonghwa confessed. "That isn't gonna change. Hongjoong's just annoying."

Hongjoong being irritating wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie either. He had his considerate moments, like when he'd bought a new hoodie for Seonghwa and gave him those cookies that prevented him from going hungry last night.

The image of Hongjoong excitedly talking about his favourite star entered his head. Seonghwa remembered that moment where they'd gotten so close he was able to identify his intriguing scent; when the low breeze danced through his hair, the moonlight highlighting his delicately sculpted features.

He was like an oxymoron in every sense of the word; soft but daunting, nice but definitely not a pushover. He was graceful and often soft-spoken, but he was also frighteningly powerful that it scared Seonghwa shitless at times.

"...ngi, though."

Seonghwa blinked, reality slapping him in the face. "Uhm, what?"

San fortunately did not look annoyed that he hadn't been paying attention at first. He adjusted his jean jacket, his fingers nervous. "Don't tell Mingi."

Seonghwa bit his lip, slowly nodding. He kinda felt bad, but he already knew if he hadn't stumbled in front of Hongjoong that raining night, then he would've still continued to remain oblivious to whatever was going on. "Right. I won't."

San ruffled his hair, his lips jutting into a slight pout. "We kinda have to keep our identities secret. You already shouldn't have known in the first place -- no offense."

Seonghwa opened his chemistry notebook. "None taken. _But_..."

San's legs were crossed where he sat, his palms framing his head. He looked a bit more _relieved_ now. "What, Hwa?"

Seonghwa's eyes met his. "What do you do? I mean -- what _can_ you do? When you were running during p.e, I saw your legs _stretch_. Is that one of your powers, that is, apart from cheating?"

His joke didn't go ignored as San laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Dude, I didn't cheat," San denied. "Okay, _maybe_ a little. But I needed to get a good grade!"

Seonghwa smiled, happy his friend was back to normal. "But you always crush it at running, though."

"Wanted to beat everyone else," San replied while playing with his fingers. "...Also, as you can probably already tell, I have elasticity which means I can stretch any part of my body at will. Gosh, this sounds _so_ weird, but yeah."

Seonghwa nodded, trying his best to ingest that type of information without his skepticism getting in the way. He'd been so used to normalcy and ordinariness in his life that everything that'd taken place thus far didn't seem plausible in the slightest; yet they _were_.

San silently observed his face, his smile slowly dimming. "You don't believe me."

"I -- I _do_ ," Seonghwa pressed. "It's just... I don't know. I'm not used to all this, I guess."

"It's okay," the shorter of the two shrugged. "At least you aren't being weird about it."

"You deal with..." Seonghwa raked his mind for the most appropriate word, "with Mons... _right_?"

"Damn, Hongjoong even told you about those huh." San chuckled lowly, tapping his freckled neck. "But yes, I kinda fight with them. Sometimes it's even _fun_ to do; can't fully describe why though."

Seonghwa couldn't imagine fighting with those large shadow beings and calling it _fun_ , but at the same time, he was still a little interested.

He opened his mouth to say something else when he spotted Mingi heading their way with his black bag slung over his shoulder, the taller's smile growing once he spotted them.

"Hey Mingi," San greeted with a grin, his attitude betraying nothing about what he and Seonghwa just talked about.

Mingi sank himself next to Seonghwa, zipping open his bag and passing the first snack over to him. Lunch today wasn't appetizing (but when _was_ it, to be honest), so Mingi'd gone out of the school to buy some things for them.

"Choco-pies; great for studying," Mingi joked.

Seonghwa offered him a closed-mouthed smile, before tearing open the wrapper. "Thanks, Mingi."

San scoffed. "Bitch, where's mine?"

"Are _you_ studying?" Mingi teased.

"Yes I am. I'm studying _every damn thing_ with my eyes right now."

Seonghwa almost choked on a choco-pie. "You can have mine."

"Nah," Mingi shook his head, before throwing San his own pack. " _This_ one's for you alone."

San acted like he was barfing his guts out. " _Please_ , not this romance shit in front of my choco-pie."

"Yah!" Mingi exclaimed with panicked eyes, reaching over to hit San with his water bottle. " _Shut. The fuck. Up._ "

Seonghwa could only roll his eyes at his friends' antics, taking a bite out of his snack. He thought over San's earlier words about not telling Mingi anything, which didn't fully sit right with him. But then again, he doubted Mingi would believe anything as he was as much of a sceptic as Seonghwa was.

He decided it'd ultimately be the right thing to not tell Mingi what was going on.

⛓️

  
Seonghwa's eyes were closed as he laid on his bed when he suddenly _felt_ that something was there. Dread creeped up his skin in the form of goosebumps, but he stubbornly kept his eyes shut, pretending he was fast asleep.

"I know you're awake."

Seonghwa stayed still, but he soon regretted doing that when he felt fingers shifting through his dark hair.

He immediately opened his eyes and grabbed Hongjoong's wrist, glaring when the shorter boy just laughed.

"Why are you in my room?" Seonghwa questioned, his voice stiffer than he'd intended. It was hard not to speak properly when only a couple inches away was a grinning boy _floating_ above him like some horrid ghost in a horror movie.

Hongjoong yanked his wrist off, but still stayed where he was. "I'm gonna answer another one of your questions."

Seonghwa couldn't stop himself; his eyes took in Hongjoong's cardigan and shorts, along with the small hoop earrings that decorated his ears and his glossy nude lips, and his eyelids were coloured with faint eyeshadow and glitter. He looked like he was heading somewhere.

"Admiring me?" Hongjoong's voice had a teasing lilt to it.

Seonghwa scoffed and looked away, turning another side. "Get out."

Hongjoong lowered himself until he landed on Seonghwa's bed, and now they were facing eachother.

Seonghwa's breath hitched at Hongjoong's close proximity. The shorter looked like some _doll_ lying there, his small body appearing even _smaller_ and his smile minimal but content. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" Hongjoong shifted even _closer_. So close, in fact, that Seonghwa ended up falling off his bed.

He groaned in agony just as the back of his head hit the floor, his anger rising like a huge tidal wave. " _Kim fucking Hongjoong_ \-- "

Said male was busy guffawing his ass off, cross-legged on the taller's bed like he _owned_ it. "Goddammit, Seonggie. Guess you really fell for me, huh?"

"You piece of shit!" Seonghwa hissed, climbing up his bed to tackle the shorter on it. Hongjoong gasped as soon as their bodies splayed over the bed, but his surprise was soon replaced with aggravating smugness.

"Is this fucking _fun_ to you?" Seonghwa demanded, glaring daggers at the shorter boy. His breath came out in short, adrenaline-fuelled pants, his limbs still holding Hongjoong's petite body in place.

The chestnut-haired boy giggled, the airy sound squeezing Seonghwa's heart. "Well... _yeah_."

It was then Seonghwa became aware of their position on his bed.

His hands were still fisting Hongjoong's cardigan, able to feel the shorter's pounding heartbeat under his fingertips. And Hongjoong was _right below_ him, all pixie-like and smirking at him like he just _knew_ something he didn't.

Seonghwa quickly got off, his heartbeat still racing off the tracks.

Hongjoong promptly sat up, observing the taller through entertained eyes. "So...you ready to hear what I have to say, or are you still _hot and bothered_ over me?"

Seonghwa ignored his last comment for the sake of his sanity. "Where are you going?"

Hongjoong grinned, adjusting the one ring on his finger. "Mon-hunting, Seonghwa. And you're coming with me."

" _No I'm not_."

"You _are_ if you really wanna know more about me," Hongjoong answered. "So, what's your choice?"

Seonghwa felt himself sigh. 


	14. fever

  
The first thing Seonghwa noticed about this new place were several colourful birds that flew and cackled through the sky. Next were the many thick-rooted trees that lingered in the distance and a vibrant green field that seemed to stretch on for _miles_. The sun was shining bright in the cerulean sky, not a single cloud present.

It took Seonghwa aback, mostly because this looked like daytime and he'd left his house in the _evening_.

Hongjoong stood beside him, golden eyes shimmering under the sunlight. He used a hand to shield the upper half of his face from view, before looking around the vast area for something -- or someone.

Seonghwa frowned with mild disdain. Okay. He wasn't like, _mad_ or anything, and the weather wasn't too bad. He was just confused and he didn't even know why Hongjoong brought him here in the first place.

"Is this another dimension?" Seonghwa asked, fingers pulling on the hem of the plain white shirt the shorter'd advised him to wear. He didn't feel disgustingly hot, but the sunshine was a little too _bright_ around here.

"Yep!" Hongjoong chirped. " _Flora_ ; one of my faves."

Seonghwa, admittedly fascinated, studied the almost perfect scenery before him and concluded that the name _did_ in fact match with it. He hummed and crossed his arms. "Okay. But I still don't know why you took me to this place."

Like everything had been intricately orchestrated, a grey static opening _tore_ through the air, and out rolled a golf cart with Yunho in the driver's seat.

Seonghwa stood still, _beyond_ speechless as to what'd just taken place, but once the blue-eyed boy wheeled the cart closer to him and Hongjoong, Seonghwa was able to regain his focus, albeit slowly.

Yunho's eyes lit up with surprise once he spotted Seonghwa, a big smile quickly spreading across his face. " _Oh_ , hi. Hongjoong never told me you'd be coming."

Seonghwa awkwardly smiled as he searched for the right way to answer. "Hongjoong never told me what we would be _doing_ , either."

Yunho shot Hongjoong a mock-glare, but the shorter was already grabbing a golf club and gloves, whistling nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry, Seonghwa," Yunho began as he got off the cart, his tone apologetic. "My brother can be a bit... _wild_ , so to speak."

Seonghwa turned and saw Hongjoong a few feet ahead, already standing in position. On his head was a beige hat that protected him from the sun, or maybe not since Hongjoong had proved many, _many_ times that he wasn't your average human.

"So you guys just... _golf_ here whenever you have time?" Seonghwa inquired from Yunho, trying his best to ignore Hongjoong's hisses and squeals whenever he'd swung his golf club.

Yunho laughed, his ocean-blue eyes crinkling under his pink curls. He passed an unsure Seonghwa a golf club of his own. "Nah, not really. We have a mission to do later on today, so we just pass the time by doing what we like around here. This place has a bunch of grass and stuff, so we rented the cart for fun."

Seonghwa couldn't believe it. Sure, as a kid he'd occassionally went to theme parks, sparsely participated in yearly celebrations like Christmas and Halloween, but there was never a time where he'd decided he'd casually _visit_ some foreign place just for fun. His life thus far had been structured and lackluster, and for the most part, he'd been okay with it. To him, familiarity was secure. _Safe_.

_But now..._

He couldn't help but wonder just how many places -- _or dimensions_ \-- Hongjoong and Yunho had frequented, and if they'd all been equally as exciting and exhilarating. Seonghwa wouldn't know; his life wasn't anything special.

"I don't know how to golf."

Yunho grinned. "Me neither, and neither does Hongjoong. We just do whatever we want and go crazy with it. And -- " the taller grabbed a golf ball and flung it into the sky with power that Seonghwa _should've_ expected but didn't, and soon after the ball rolled against Yunho's converse. "We can swing as high as we want and the ball keeps coming back, simple right?"

" _Stop_ _explaininnnng_ ," Hongjoong dragged out, his features exasperated. "It's fucking with my concentration. I'm sure Seonggie gets it by now, right?"

Yunho's fair eyebrows knitted, gaze switching between his brother and Seonghwa. "Seonggie?"

Seonghwa hurriedly sped over the turf grass and placed his ball into the open tee he saw, trying his hardest to _focus_.

"I bet you aren't better than me." _And of course_ Hongjoong decided to pitch in his unneeded opinion. "Did you _see_ how high I swung mine -- "

Seonghwa struck his ball as hard as he could, hoping the noise would drown out Hongjoong's incessant babbling. The ball flew considerably high, but apparently that wasn't ' _impressive_ _'_ enough for Hongjoong.

The shorter met Seonghwa's glare with a smirk and hooded, calculating eyes.

"Twas kinda meh."

" _Shh_ , Joongie," Yunho argued, flashing Seonghwa a thumbs up. "Seonghwa you did great."

 _Joongie_? The dark haired boy mulled over the unexpected nickname for a second, before shrugging it off. "Thanks."

Hongjoong then hit his ball, and as predicted it shot straight into the sky.

Yunho chuckled. " _Bragger_. Hey, Seonghwa, wanna team up and battle it out with my smug fun-sized brother?"

" _Fun-sized_?!" Hongjoong yelled, and Seonghwa couldn't _not_ laugh at his hilarious outburst.

Yunho's smile broadened once he heard Seonghwa's laugh. "What's so bad about being fun-sized, huh? Or do you prefer _Little_ _Joong_ instead?"

Hongjoong outright _threw_ his club at Yunho (which the taller missed), his face reminiscent of a cranky old lady's. Once again, Seonghwa couldn't contain his laughter, _especially_ when Hongjoong directed his gaze at him.

Hongjoong tapped his club on the grass, his other hand planted on his hip. "Alright, I accept you guys' challenge. If I win, you guys get to do what _I_ want. If you two win, I do what _you_ want."

Seonghwa bit his lip, an uncharacteristic smile plastered on his face. "We win and you get called 'Little Joong' for the rest of the week."

Yunho was cackling, before giving Seonghwa a high-five. "Genius thinking."

Hongjoong's lips curled into a dark smile, his stare boring into Seonghwa's with so much intimidation that the taller had to look away. " _Deal_."

Yunho cheered, before passing Seonghwa an extra cap. "In case you need it. The sun's pretty bright today," he explained.

Seonghwa nodded, the taller's considerate nature reminding him far too much of Mingi. He pursed his lips at the thought and shoved it at the back of his mind. He couldn't afford to get all distracted now; he had Hongjoong to beat.

He and Yunho both took turns competing with Hongjoong. The three were _far_ from professionals, they just hit the ball as hard as they could because they wanted to impress. Yet still, they were having a good time.

After Hongjoong served his shot, one that skidded over the trees and into the skies, it was finally Seonghwa's turn again.

"You can do this," Yunho encouraged him with a wide grin.

"Try to score higher than me," Hongjoong challenged, slightly leaning on his club and staring Seonghwa's body down. His eyes looked particularly intense and appealing under this light. They were like warm honey, swirling with mischief and playfulness.

Seonghwa averted his gaze, taking in deep breaths. Then he swung.

He didn't do _bad_ per se, but it wasn't _close_ to the best either. He cursed at himself, hating that he'd gotten side-tracked by Hongjoong _yet again_.

And judging by the smirk dancing on the shorter's lips, Hongjoong probably knew what he was doing. Seonghwa felt his hands clench.

"You did fine," Yunho assured as he took Seonghwa's position, but the shorter couldn't feel comforted by it because here Hongjoong was, hopping around with a little dance of victory. "Joong, we aren't done yet though."

"I know," Hongjoong grinned, directed his gaze at Seonghwa. "But _I'm_ in the lead."

"Yeah right." Yunho didn't look half-bothered by it however, which Seonghwa didn't like. He wanted them to _win_. Didn't even know _why_ ; he just did.

He wanted to erase that irking smile off of Hongjoong's face and show him that he was _better_ , because calling the shorter 'Little Joong' sounded better than whatever Hongjoong was cooking up for them.

After Hongjoong's shot, as well as Yunho's, Seonghwa walked up and settled his club by the tee, pushing aside any and all forms of distraction -- _including_ Hongjoong. Although he obviously wasn't as strong as the two brothers, he'd always been gifted athletically. Channeling all his strength, he swung as ruthlessly as he could, shots of adrenaline sparking under his skin. His muscles rippled with every movement, but he could only hope it'd all been worthwhile.

"Wait, _the hell_?" Hongjoong's voice entered Seonghwa's ears.

Yunho exhaled a nervous laugh drenched with disbelief. "Oh my god."

Seonghwa looked up, but then he did a double take once he took notice of his golf ball in the sky. Or, what'd been _left_ of it.

A mini flaming concoction had sliced through the sky, bright and explosive.

Seonghwa frowned in confusion; he had no idea what was happening.

But then he took notice of his subtly charred golf club, as well as the burnt ball coming to a stop between him and Yunho. "... _What_..?"

"Holy crap, that was _amazing_ ," Yunho clapped, but the nervous look in his eyes didn't cease. "I have _no idea_ how you managed that, but that was so _cool_. We probably won now."

Hongjoong, on the other hand, didn't look as happy. He walked up to Seonghwa, bending to pick up the marred ball. "That's never happened before."

Seonghwa didn't like the look on Hongjoong's face, or the strange way he watched him. He rubbed the back of his neck, halting when he felt how _cold_ it was to the touch. In fact, his hands felt the same.

"The weather's hot, that's probably why," Seonghwa muttered. "Sorry for the damage."

"No worries. Luckily, we can fix it," Yunho answered. He took Seonghwa's golf club from him, letting their fingers graze for a second before he let go. Then, he ran his hand over the affected part, smoothing it out with ice in seconds.

Seonghwa, once more, was taken aback. "Is -- is that part of your power?"

Yunho quickly nodded. "Yep."

Seonghwa admired the club's surface, extremely interested by this fact. "Actually, I -- "

"Sorry," Hongjoong interrupted as he pulled off his hat and adjusted his fluffy chestnut locks. "But I wanna head to town now. Heard there's a festival going on down there."

"Oh, _right_ ," Yunho snapped his fingers. "The festival."

"What festival?" Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, grabbing the taller's arm. "You'll see when we get there, c'mon."

⛓️

  
The town, in contrast to the field Seonghwa had just been to, was buzzing with so much life and energy it'd rubbed his reserved side a little in the wrong way. But undoubtedly he became fascinated by the colour and the lush greenery that caught his eye.

People dressed quite closely to medievals surrounded them at every corner, friendly with charming smiles even when the three teens were dressed quite differently from them.

Yunho looked the most excited, and soon enough it spread to Seonghwa as well. He pointed out a bunch of stuff to Seonghwa, from the names of the buildings to the delicacies the vendors sold on the streets.

Seonghwa gestured at a certain rounded baked good decorated with pink icing. "That looks like a doughnut."

"It _is_ a doughnut."

Seonghwa hid his embarrassment by staring at Hongjoong who was already at some other stall that sold bouquets and other objects made with flowers. He didn't look like his usual self in the sense that he was _frowning_.

"You guys can _buy_ things here?" Seonghwa asked after realizing he'd been staring Hongjoong's way for far too long.

Yunho nodded, before taking out some a forest green laminated card. "Yeah. We got a pass from the mayor so we can buy what we want."

"T-The _mayor_?" Seonghwa gaped.

Yunho laughed, highly amused by Seonghwa's shock. "Yeah. This isn't our first time here, and since we help Flora by getting rid of Mons, the mayor gave us these passes. Sweet, right?"

"Yeah..." Seonghwa's eyes found Hongjoong again. "I'm gonna go talk to him about something."

Yunho nodded. "Sure! I'll be sure to get some food for you guys."

With a final nod, Seonghwa sauntered to Hongjoong's side, trying to look as casual as possible. "Hey."

Hongjoong dropped an eye-catching glove of sorts embroidered with silvery thread and little shiny jewels into the bag he had with him, ignoring Seonghwa for the most part.

Seonghwa could clearly see his small smile, though. "Little Joong."

Hongjoong scoffed, looking through the stall for other things he could buy. "What do you want?"

"You told me you'd answer another one of my questions if I came along with you," Seonghwa replied. "Which I did."

Hongjoong wrapped a simple choker around the smooth slope of his neck, the small icy blue crystal attached to it glinting over his olive skin. "I look pretty, right?"

Shock swam into Seonghwa's system, his breath seeming to have left him. He coughed, about to sputter out _something_ that equated to an answer when he'd realized Hongjoong wasn't actually talking to _him_ , but the lady who sold the chokers.

" _Amazing_!" she complimented, her dark brown eyes shifting over to Seonghwa. "What about you, dear? Are you eager to buy something?"

"He's not into jewelry," Hongjoong argued, which upset Seonghwa.

So he pushed past the shorter, flashing the woman a wide smile. "I actually am." _That was a lie_. "What do you recommend for me?"

"Oh, I know something _perfect_."

While the lady rummaged around for what she was looking for, Hongjoong stared at Seonghwa with a baffled expression.

"Didn't know you liked that kind of stuff," he said.

"Didn't know I liked them either until today." It was hard _not_ to stare at Hongjoong, even more so with that blue choker he had on. Seonghwa denied over and over again that Hongjoong _did_ in fact look pretty with it, because it was just _weird_.

The lady passed Seonghwa two sets of golden drop earrings, both with distinctively intricate designs. They twinkled majestically underneath the afternoon sun.

"Fuck. Take them _now_ ," Hongjoong whispered ecstatically next to Seonghwa.

"My ears aren't pierced."

But Hongjoong was already paying for both sets. "Then we'll get your ears pierced, _duh_."

Seonghwa wasn't looking forward to that. "I don't want my ears pierced."

"Come on. It'll look insanely good on you, _trust me_."

For a moment, Seonghwa couldn't reply as his face felt like somebody had just lit a match on it. Before the silence between them could get even worse Yunho showed up out of thin air, passing a wrapped sandwich to Hongjoong and something else to Seonghwa.

"Your doughnut," Yunho clarified, mistaking Seonghwa's stunned face as confusion. "Unless you don't like doughnuts -- "

"I do." Seonghwa didn't mean to cut him off so briskly, but he was jittery. Nervous. It didn't help that his limbs still felt as cold as they were when they'd been golfing, like he'd stuck them inside a freezer for an hour or something. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Fortunately, Yunho didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary as the three of them continued to trek along. _Hongjoong_ , however, kept glancing at him every few seconds.

Seonghwa knew he probably didn't mean bad by it, but his piercing stares were just making everything worse.

It was just so _difficult_ for him to ignore the younger boy.

⛓️

  
Much faster than normal, the sun dimmed and the moon revealed itself, highlighting Hongjoong's and Yunho's unique eye colours even more. Paper lamps lit up every corner of the town with various exuberant shades; something Seonghwa hadn't ever seen in person prior to today.

Yunho stared at the sky as he tapped something Seonghwa had just noticed was in his ear. "It's nearing 7PM."

"Shit," Hongjoong cursed, "guess our break time's over."

"What's going on?" Seonghwa asked.

"We're kicking some Mon ass," Hongjoong replied without breaking a sweat. "You wanna see?"

Alarm flashed across Yunho's face. "Hongjoong, we can't -- "

"I'm _pretty sure_ Seonghwa wants to tag along," Hongjoong grinned, his face a perfect mix of sinister and enticing. " _Right_ , Seonghwa?"

Seonghwa swallowed, adrenaline filling his gut. "Yes."


	15. tour de l'amour

  
When Seonghwa had agreed to tagging along to Hongjoong's and Yunho's 'Mon-hunt', he had _not_ meant leaping over large buildings and almost falling to his death.

"Come on," Hongjoong edged Seonghwa as soon as he'd jumped off the ledge of a slanted, monumental building that was so high up the townspeople looked like little colourful dots splayed around. His and Yunho's shopping bags had disappeared into thin air once they'd commenced their jumping, and at this point Seonghwa'd learnt not to question it anymore. "You scared?"

Seonghwa looked below him, breath slightly hitching in his throat. On a physical level, the buildings lined in front of him were beautiful, sleek with (real?) gold and rubies shimmering off their exteriors. He'd always been a sucker for historical things like ancient buildings, dated museums and the like.

But he'd never envisioned ever _climbing_ over some of them in his lifetime.

"No..." He inhaled, forcing himself to look up. "I'm not scared."

"Don't look down. It'll make you nervous," Yunho gently advised. He was still beside Seonghwa, watching the shorter with worried eyes. Seonghwa hated it, because he wasn't a _kid_. He _knew_ what he was doing.

Seonghwa took a step forward over the roof of the huge stony villa he and Yunho stood on, only for his legs to suddenly wobble, his small fear of heights rearing its ugly head at the _least_ convenient moment.

Yunho had already reached out to steady him, big hands securely holding his arms in place. Yet again, Seonghwa detested that. "Seonghwa, please be careful."

"We don't have all day," Hongjoong complained from the other building, which made Seonghwa's frown greatly deepen. When their eyes locked, the shorter raised a challenging eyebrow as if he was _doubting_ bringing Seonghwa with them.

But Seonghwa wanted to prove Hongjoong's conniving self wrong. He didn't like others seeing him as weak or incapable, and he sure as hell didn't _like_ Hongjoong looking at him as if he was.

"I'll help you over," Yunho was suggesting, but Seonghwa had already stepped back, prepping himself up to jump.

Luckily, he wore shoes that allowed for running. And soon enough he powered down the roof and leaped, the freezing air lapping agressively at his entire body. He'd flown even _higher_ than he'd thought he would, adrenaline acting as the drug that made his movements more powerful.

Well, that is, until he collided straight into Hongjoong's form.

" _Shit_ \-- " Seonghwa gasped just as he and Hongjoong rolled on the narrow roof of the building, the latter enveloped under his body.

Hongjoong, despite Seonghwa nearly _knocking him out_ , looked a lot less alarmed than the taller. Instead, he stared right at Seonghwa through slanted, sensuous eyes, his lips quirking _suggestively_. "My _my_ , we always seem to end up in this position..."

Seonghwa tried not to notice how the shorter's earthy skin tone contrasted enticingly with the topaz blue choker wrapped around his neck.

He inhaled a shaky, shallow breath. "...Get off me."

Hongjoong's smirk extended. "You're the one on _me_ , Seonggie."

" _Guys, are you okay_?" Yunho.

In an instant, Seonghwa hurriedly hopped off Hongjoong's impassive form, his limbs feeling like lead.

"Better than ever," Hongjoong commented rather dryly as he stood up as well. Seonghwa forced himself not to look his way any longer, especially not when all he could see anytime he blinked was _Hongjoong_. His eyes, his lips, his smile -- _everything_.

Seonghwa lingered next to Yunho as Hongjoong jumped off that same building and onto another one before anyone could say anything else.

Yunho's eyebrows furrowed, which Seonghwa soon noticed.

"What?" Seonghwa's voice was rough and barely sounded like him, so he coughed, trying to sound normal again.

"He's mad," Yunho stated. "I know that face. He tries to seem all calm and collected, but he's actually seething on the inside."

Seonghwa didn't know what to say; _how_ to reply to that. It made things even more awkward for him because that was _exactly_ how he acted whenever he got mad. And now, he'd managed to piss off a shadow-killing, potently strong half-human who could rip him to shreds if he just so wanted.

Great. Tonight was going just _splendidly_.

⛓️

  
The trio continued to climb over buildings with little problems, a strange type of silence stretching over them. Hongjoong was the most obvious with his due to what'd happened earlier between him and Seonghwa, but Yunho's reason for _his_ silence was practically unknown.

But Seonghwa couldn't afford asking any questions that could cause him to lose his footing, _and_ cost him his life (quite _literally_ ).

"Yeosang says they're sensing some strange activity next to the towers at the fringe of the city," Yunho announced, breaking the silence.

Hongjoong nodded next to them, pulling out an ebony glass case that glinted dully. He was already walking away before Seonghwa could attempt to _say_ anything, and it greatly annoyed the taller teen. He realized he didn't _like_ the Hongjoong ignoring him.

"Who's Yeosang?" Seonghwa asked.

Yunho, thankfully, had the patience his brother so desperately lacked. "Yeosang's our designated person who picks up on frequent Mon sightings for us."

"Oh," Seonghwa nodded, landing on yet another roof with Yunho at his side.

"They also told me to say hello to you, and that your jumping skills are excellent," Yunho added.

"Uh, thanks, I guess." Seonghwa noted the taller's frequent use of 'they' for Yeosang instead of any other pronoun, and as always, his curiosity got the best of him. "...Is Yeosang..."

"Non-binary?" Yunho pitched in, swinging over a ledge with more grace than someone his height could ever muster. "Yes."

Seonghwa didn't say anything else after that, dedicatedly trailing after Yunho while wondering if Hongjoong was already at their destination, waiting for _them_.

 _You mean Yunho. There's no way he's waiting for you_ , Seonghwa's mind spat.

But that didn't mean his stupid heart didn't stutter in his chest once he caught sight of Hongjoong's chestnut hair inside a lengthy tower; one situated closely to a wide expanse of trees leading to the unknown.

Wind played frivolously with Seonghwa's hair, his breath leaving in abrupt pants once he realized the height he and Yunho had to jump from in order to get to Hongjoong.

It didn't help that the building he and Yunho stood on was uncompleted with cement cracks everywhere he looked.

"Hongjoong's already at the _Tour de L'amour_ ," Yunho stated in a near perfect french accent, looking as unfazed as ever by the distance. "Means 'Tower of Love', by the way, because in that tower was where two young lovers from before used to secretly meet due to the negative discourse between their two families."

"Like... Romeo and Juliet?" Seonghwa hypothesised.

Yunho laughed, looking at him with bright eyes. "Yeah. Something like that." He gestured at the tower. "Now we just need to jump as high as we can to get to my brother. I'll help if you're anxious about it."

Seonghwa quickly shook his head and squeezed his fists. Hongjoong was _right there_. If he indeed managed to land safely next to him, then maybe Hongjoong wouldn't look down on him anymore.

 _Why does it matter?_ The voice in his head questioned. Seonghwa didn't know the answer.

Either way, he raced and leapt as high as he possibly could, fatigue still far from attacking him. Falling down that building gave him a feeling Seonghwa could only describe as plain _euphoria._ It engulfed him whole and gave him new _life_.

Descending through the tranquil atmosphere, he felt like he was being created all over again. He felt nothing less than brand new at that moment.

Seonghwa landed on the tower before he could even count to five, swaying a little to steady himself. The love tower was so high up he could see the shining stars much more clearly, especially the ones sprinkled over Hongjoong's seated body, adorning his head like miniature crowns.

Hongjoong turned around then, his eyes alone rendering Seonghwa unable to speak. He got up to his feet, breaking apart that opaque case in his hand to reveal a _whip_.

"They're here," Hongjoong said, and it took Seonghwa a whole second to realize what he was talking about.

"There's nothing to worry about though," Yunho assured Seonghwa. "You just stay here and we'll go deal with those shadows."

The dark haired male nodded, inhaling a huge breath. This was truly happening.

To his utmost surprise, Hongjoong stepped up to him and placed the whip inside his palm, his cold touch sending tremors down Seonghwa's back.

"What?" He asked in confusion, peering at the black whip in his hands. The weapon buzzed and trembled like it was alive; _breathing_. "W-Why -- "

"Use it in case you see one coming for you." Hongjoong cocked his head to the side, tongue running over his upper lip. "Unless you can't handle it."

"I _can_ ," Seonghwa spat, but he couldn't deny it. He was _nervous_.

Yunho, like always, tried to be as positive as possible. "You most likely won't _need_ it since we can get rid of them all. But just in case."

"Alright." Seonghwa breathed in and out. He could feel Hongjoong's eyes on him, but pretended like he didn't. _Stop watching me_ , he thought. _Stop looking at me like you care when you're just going to ignore me later! Stop confusing me, Kim Hongjoong_.

"Stay here on the roof with the whip and don't move until we show up," Hongjoong commanded, but his voice was tender as he regarded Seonghwa. "Don't fall or injure yourself."

_Make sure to stay safe! Eat well at school and take care of yourself..._

Seonghwa blinked at the sound of his mother's voice, his grip on the whip tightening. Before he could even ponder over it, he hurriedly erased his mother's voice from his head and focused back on the present. "I'm not a clumsy child. I'm _pretty sure_ I can handle myself, thanks."

His voice came out sharper than intended, which was often the case when something bothered him. Luckily Yunho and Hongjoong didn't look too affected by it.

In less than a minute, Seonghwa was left alone on the roof, alert and observant of everything around him. Swallowing down his anxiety, he peered out of the ledge, he spotted Hongjoong's and Yunho's bodies far, far below, racing into the thick forest with a strength and speed so _inhuman_.

A sort of disappointment nibbled its way into Seonghwa's chest; a part of him had wanted to see them _fight_ , to see how they usually went about killing those Mons.

The whip in his hand vibrated, its tip electrified with copper red sparks. Seonghwa didn't feel like holding it anymore, but he remembered Hongjoong's words. He needed to keep the weapon close by in case something happened -- which Seonghwa really hoped _di_ _dn't_.

That was when he saw _it_.

Like an oil spill in the distance, dark liquid seeped out of the forest grounds and floated over the soil in rapid waves before disappearing into thin air. At first, Seonghwa thought it was blood, but the substance looked _too_ dark and watery.

Seonghwa could only imagine what was going on in that forest. He wondered if he'd actually made the right decision by choosing to come here; wondered if Hongjoong and Yunho were safe; wondered what time it was back at home. He wondered and wondered, feeling more and more apprehensive of this situation with every minute that passed.

Something bright exploded next to him, startling Seonghwa greatly.

Next to him was a flaming whip, held by something dark that _wasn't_ him.

Seonghwa almost fell over, terror seizing his heart. The shadow in front of him inched closer, all insanely wide smiles with that whip in its hands burning brighter than ever.

Drops of unsettling orange fire scorched the roof of the tower, setting parts of it ablaze.

The unknown figure walked even closer, holding the crackling whip menacingly like some demon from hell.

" _S-Stay_ _back!_ " Seonghwa yelled, but his voice was barely heard over all the burning and the _noise_. Smoke attacked his lungs, rendering him breathless within seconds. _What the fuck was happening?!_

The shadow held the whip above its head, the weapon scattering gigantic traces of fire _everywhere_. Seonghwa couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Don't _fucking_ come near me!" Seonghwa threatened, but that _thing_ wasn't listening to him. Fuck, where were Hongjoong and Yunho? What the hell was going on? Why was this happening to him?

The silhouette swung the whip.

" _Seonghwa_!" Someone rushed to him, holding him in their arms. _Hongjoong_.

Seonghwa shut his eyes. He was shivering, _freezing_. His head hurt, but with Hongjoong's body pressed against him, his pleasant smell invading his senses, the headache pounding away at his skull eased a little.

Several words entered his ears and out, but he wasn't listening. He _couldn't_ listen when all he could see in his mind was that _shadow_ holding that blazing whip.

Two sentences managed to stick with him out of all the numerous others, however.

 _"I shouldn't have brought you here, Seonghwa. I'm so sorry_."


	16. i want this

_underaged drinking_

\---

  
Seonghwa had woken up the next morning with nothing but the two pairs of earrings from _Flora,_ a bright red lollipop, and his phone sitting on his bedside drawer, which had a million missed calls from Mingi by the way.

Seonghwa groaned, rubbing his forehead in order to numb the ache that lingered there. Fuck. He'd almost gotten hurt yesterday by that shadow-Mon-thing. Or was it even a Mon?

Either way, that thing had been out to get him, but Hongjoong...

Seonghwa's jaw clenched as pain ravished his head like wildfire. But with that came some clarity, and he soon remembered the shorter boy rushing to him and holding him close. He could also remember that scorching whip in the distance, its flames gradually dying out.

_What'd that been all about?_

Seonghwa didn't know. He didn't _feel_ good either.

He stared at the ceiling, the gentle breeze seeping through his window steadying his racing thoughts. He wondered how Hongjoong had brought him home, or if he'd laid him on his bed himself. He couldn't even remember Hongjoong _carrying_ him, although he was _pretty sure_ the shorter had to have done so.

Seonghwa's cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment. He couldn't imagine just how he'd looked in Hongjoong's arms, the other boy holding him like some dead-weight while they all transported back to Earth. _God_ , Seonghwa only seemed to make a fool of himself whenever Hongjoong was around.

Seonghwa slowly reached out for the lollipop across from him, deciding on blaming his next actions on the fact that he was (kind of) in a delirious state and all he could feel right now was physical discomfort.

He unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth, the sweet taste of strawberries drowning his senses all at once. But for the first time ever, he _liked it._ The knots in his joints relaxed and loosened, and as he continued to lie inside his dark bedroom, all his worries seemed to disappear with the fickle wind...

⛓️

  
As soon as Seonghwa entered the school bus, he opted for the seat closest to the back and where the early morning sunlight from the windows wouldn't get to him. He still didn't feel too good, so he just wanted to hide away in the corner for a little bit and get some rest.

He soon spotted Mingi, and when the taller excitably waved him over, he internally braced himself for all the questioning that was to come.

"Good morning, Seonghwa," his friend greeted.

"Hey," Seonghwa replied, his voice coming out a little tired. "Uh, can I sit at the corner?"

"Sure," Mingi moved to let him sit, his eyes never leaving his face. Despite his smile, his eyes reflected worry.

Seonghwa leaned into his seat with a sigh, staring out the windows at nothing.

"...I know you really dislike it when I keep asking if you're okay," Mingi started, his voice on the lower side to keep any third-party from listening. "But I just really wanna know if you're fine."

Seonghwa glanced at his friend, which turned out to be a mistake. The taller wore red again, and images consisting of Hongjoong's smile and that lollipop of his burned in Seonghwa's mind. And worst of all, he remembered that eerie silhouette and the flaming whip.

"Seonghwa?"

Seonghwa forced himself to look away, only to wince when direct sunlight hit him head on. It was pale orange, reminding him of last night's events once again. "I'm fine."

"You know, I came to your house yesterday night."

Shock filled Seonghwa at that second, and it wasn't the good kind. Obviously, he couldn't stop Mingi from going to his house when the taller had been probably only worried he wasn't picking up his calls, but that didn't mean Seonghwa was suddenly okay with it.

"Why?" He asked. He didn't like the thought of Mingi showing up at his house without letting him know first, especially when his father was around.

Mingi exhaled, face mirroring concern which only made Seonghwa feel worse. "I..." His hands clenched repeatedly, like he was thinking hard about what he wanted to say next. "I wanted to _see you_ , Hwa. Seriously, when I called and you weren't picking up, I got so alarmed and I just -- I needed to know that you were okay."

Seonghwa frowned, but hid it from Mingi. "I _am_ okay. I'm not a kid."

"I _know_ , but I -- " Mingi abruptly stopped himself.

"But what?" Seonghwa asked, noticing that Mingi's gaze wasn't even directed at him anymore. And for a second, he was relieved, only to realize that the other students inside the bus were staring in the _same_ direction Mingi was looking.

Once Seonghwa decided to look as well, the first thing he saw was smoke on the east road, dark grey and thick. Then the smoke slightly cleared off, revealing crushed, disfigured metal and mangled tires.

They belonged to two cars that had fatally collided, wrecking destruction on each other. It was a gruesome, surreal image, because Seonghwa had only seen stuff like this on the news and not in person.

But here he was right now, and for some odd reason, he just couldn't look away.

"What the fuck happened?" Mingi whispered, but he wasn't the only one in the bus questioning things. Accidents like these were rare in the small town Seonghwa lived in, especially so early in the morning.

"Maybe the people involved were drunk driving," Mingi said as the distance between the bus and that accident site got wider. "If they were though, then shame on them. I mean, it's Wednesday _morning_. Who the hell gets drunk on a _Wednesday morning_?"

Seonghwa's eyes were still trained on those destroyed vehicles. The poignant smoke they emitted made him remember yesterday night again, and hell, it _scared_ yet fascinated him.

_Were the Mons involved in this?_

"Hwa, you're thinking again. What's up?" Mingi nudged his arm, effectively dragging Seonghwa out of his thoughts.

"Our shitty school work," Seonghwa lied, shutting his eyes again. Even with the sunlight, the atmospheric temperature was still on the lower end of the scale. He rubbed his hands together to generate some warmth, before feeling something soft on his fingers.

 _Mittens_.

"Dad said the weather's gonna be quite weird for the rest of the week," Mingi explained, scratching the base of his neck. "So I brought another pair for you so your skin won't get too coarse. And look, it even matches with your grey sweater."

"Mingi..." Seonghwa muttered, not knowing what to say. "Thanks. You're such a great friend, while I'm so shitty."

"You're not a shitty friend," Mingi countered, his face showcasing pure honesty. "But there _is_ a way you can make it up to me."

Seonghwa put the mittens on, his hands immediately feeling cozier. They fit him _perfectly_. "How?"

Mingi grinned, a bit sly. "We go to a party."

Seonghwa groaned, his shoulders hunching. "You know I don't like them."

"But _please_ , Hwa. It isn't anything huge or crazy," Mingi begged. "Changbin's the one hosting it. He's the friendly guy from my music classes, remember? He hosts great parties and I wanna go with you for once."

Seonghwa bit his lip, still unconvinced. He'd never seen the big deal with parties, getting drunk and whatnot. The idea of letting so loose with alcohol and trashing everywhere didn't sit right with him, no matter how much he thought about it. He'd rather sleep than get caught up in all of that.

 _You're boring_. Hongjoong's words replayed in his mind like a mantra.

Seonghwa shook his head. "I just... I'm not really into it. You can take San with you instead."

Mingi looked disappointed, but like always, he didn't pressure Seonghwa any further about it, which Seonghwa immensely appreciated. But he couldn't help but wonder if Mingi sometimes felt... _burdened_ or frustrated by him.

⛓️

  
Hongjoong was already in the biology lab when Mingi had opened the door for him and Seonghwa to step in.

His and Seonghwa's eyes met, and his expression was as impenetrable as ever, looking away before Seonghwa even had the chance to make his next move.

Hongjoong didn't _once_ look his way for the whole class, and while that usually wasn't enough to bother Seonghwa (he needed to pay attention and get good grades after all), all it did was distract and irk him to no end.

Whenever he copied down his notes, he spared Hongjoong a glance. Whenever he sharpened his pencil to draw a diagram, he spared Hongjoong another glance. Whenever he solved a problem, he spared Hongjoong yet another glance. It was a repetitive, tasking cycle, one Seonghwa couldn't step out off that easily since he continuously kept mulling over Hongjoong's behaviour and why he was, _yet again_ , pretending as if Seonghwa didn't _exist_.

His and Mingi's shared test tubes caught on fire.

" _Shit_!" Mingi cursed rather loudly, but it was quickly buried under the squeals and numerous exclaims of surprise from the other students.

Seonghwa took a hurried step back as the biology teacher quickly sprayed the test tubes with the fire extinguisher, the harsh sound meshing with all the chaotic noises in his head.

Luckily, the teacher wasn't as temperamental as his AP calculus teacher, so he and Mingi only got off on a simple warning for the mess the burnt tubes had caused. But Seonghwa couldn't get it all out of his head.

"I have _no idea_ how that happened," Mingi had been saying when Seonghwa caught Hongjoong staring at them. "But that was lowkey fucking _amazing_. Probably one of the most interesting things to ever happen in this anticlimactic class."

But Seonghwa was far from amused. In fact, he didn't find anything about what'd happened this far entertaining in the slightest.

_Did Hongjoong do this?_

Seonghwa didn't think the shorter was able to pull this stunt, but it seemed highly probable. After all, Hongjoong was the one who wasn't even fully human, and maybe, _maybe_ he'd done this to poke fun at Seonghwa.

He knew it sounded ridiculous, but his thoughts couldn't help but wander in that direction. And Hongjoong wasn't making things better with the way he'd kept blowing him off during class.

In about five minutes, the bell blared through the school. Before Seonghwa could blink, Hongjoong was already _gone_.

⛓️

It continued for the rest of the week; Hongjoong avoiding him _totally_ , seeming like he'd evaporated into thin air whenever Seonghwa was around.

And even when he wasn't around, Seonghwa could still _feel_ his presence at every corner, and that was the most aggravating thing.

Safe to say, it didn't go down well with the dark haired male.

  
"Have you seen Hongjoong?" He'd asked San on Friday during lunch. Mingi'd gone to the bathroom which meant he could finally ask about Hongjoong.

San's legs were crossed as he rested against the bark of the sturdy oak tree. "Uh, yeah? I mean, I talked to him this morning. _Woah_ \-- slow down there."

Seonghwa stared down at his nearly crushed bag of chips, and released a sigh. "Sorry. I'm just not in the best mood today."

"Oh. Well, it happens."

"Hongjoong really talked to you?" Seonghwa questioned. His chest constricted at the fact that Hongjoong chose to ignore him, only to engage in conversation with his friend like nothing was happening.

"Yes. What's up? Did something happen between you guys?" San looked genuinely curious, which could only mean he didn't have a clue as to what was going on.

Seonghwa casually waved off his question, staring at the clear blue skies. "Nothing happened."

A single leaf swirled from above and onto his lap, brown with brilliant orange flecks at the center. Hongjoong's golden eyes flashed behind his eyelids.

He held it for a while, and then tucked it into his pocket.

"I'm _back_ ," Mingi announced a few minutes later. "Did you two miss me?"

"I miss your _snacks_ ," San teased. "That count?"

"You fucker." Mingi opened his mouth to say more when Seonghwa cut in, his voice low but understandable.

"I changed my mind about the party. I want to come."

⛓️

Seonghwa _shouldn't_ have come to this party. He should've stayed home and rested, but he knew staying in that environment and counting down the hours until his father _remembered_ to show up would've done no good for him mentally. Not to mention, he'd undoubtedly _think_ about Hongjoong again, because the shorter boy was almost _always_ on his mind now.

And that was why Seonghwa decided to be here in this downright claustrophobic place, wedged in between San and Mingi who looked a lot more natural than he ever could.

"I'm feeling for some of those cocktails," San shouted over the music, gesturing to the array of drinks inside the large and dimly lit kitchen. "You guys want some?"

Seonghwa was about to decline just as Mingi uttered a: " _Yeah, sure!"_ , which promptly resulted in Seonghwa downing a little _too_ much alcohol for his tastes.

He only allowed himself three shots, but even with that, a serene sort of warmth began to swirl inside him, the thumping bass from the speakers easing into a dull hum.

It was good at first. The heat was welcome as it calmed his nerves down and allowed him to live in the moment, but as the seconds ticked by, his skin started to feel _too_ hot for his body. His chest felt _suffocated_ , extremely pressurized as if one little pinch would result in it blowing up.

The hair at the back of his neck stuck unflatteringly to his skin, the ghost of an headache worming its way into his brain.

His discomfort only worsened when he realized everyone else around him -- _including his two friends_ \-- seemed to be having the time of their lives, all except for him.

"Guys, I'm gonna head out for some fresh air," Seonghwa told San and Mingi who'd been laughing hard about something funny that had happened in one of San's math classes.

"That's okay," San replied. "But you know your way out, right?"

Seonghwa nodded, facing Mingi who was now watching him.

The taller's cheeks were a faint pink, his eyes sparkling due to all the alcohol he'd consumed. And now he was pouting, which was so unlike him.

"Awe," Mingi whined as he grabbed Seonghwa's hand, his unsolicited touch slightly taking the shorter boy aback. "Why do you have to leave now, _Hwa_? Why can't you stay with _meee_? I want you _with_ me..."

Seonghwa knew Mingi was drunk, so he tried his best not to feel so weird about it. "Uh..."

San quickly stepped in and yanked a ditzy Mingi towards him, a nervous laugh leaving his lips. "Fuck, he's _clearly_ drunk. Don't mind him and go get your fresh air, hm?"

Mingi shook his head, still pouting at Seonghwa. "I am _not_ drunk."

"Yes you are," San insisted, before casting an apologetic look Seonghwa's way. "We'll be at the back, okay? You can go now."

As soon as Seonghwa left the confines of the house, he began to think more clearly, the crisp night air filling his lungs. Deciding on just taking a walk to clear his head, he made his way down the secluded street, hands in his pockets.

Then he felt it.

He felt someone there, someone who he was almost one hundred percent sure was _Hongjoong_. He didn't know _how_ he knew; he just _did_.

Seonghwa continued to walk. _Maybe_ he was just imagining things.

But the air got colder, goosebumps rising along the surface of his arms. His ears picked up on a light _tip-tap_ behind him, which made him freeze entirely.

Seonghwa didn't know what he was feeling, but he wasn't scared. Hongjoong didn't scare him, he never really had in the first place.

Seonghwa stopped in the middle of the road, the light drizzle of rain from the dark skies pricking his skin. "...I know you're here."

He didn't get a response, so he kept walking, relishing in the feeling of the cold rainfall on him. "I know... I know you're following me and just choosing to stay silent because you're sadistic."

Silence again.

Seonghwa sighed, trekking along until his clothes started getting soaked by the rain. Impatience ate away at him as he turned around, expecting to see _something_ there, but there was nothing. Only him.

"Hongjoong," he breathed, wiping his drenched face with his sleeve, "stop doing this to me. Stop _fucking_ with my mind. Why -- why are you being like this?"

If another person was here right now, they would've thought he belonged in a mental hospital. But Seonghwa didn't gave two fucks about what anyone else thought, not when he was too busy feeling enraged by this whole situation.

At that moment, he discovered two new things about himself. One: rain _didn't_ always make him feel better, and two: he was a fucking _lightweight_ on alcohol.

So when he stumbled over a freaking misplaced _pebble_ , he'd already prepared himself to trip and probably injure some part of his body.

And that was exactly what happened.

"Shit!" he yelled, droplets obstructing his view and making everything much more _slippery_. He laid there in the middle of the road for a while, trying to figure out how he'd gotten himself into this mess.

As if they'd been put on rewind, the raindrops paused in motion, looking like tiny bubbles that glimmered under the fading moonlight. The cacophony of rain ceased; only silence and a sequence of steady footsteps remained.

Then a boy was peering over Seonghwa, eyes the colour of the setting sun. And for a while, Seonghwa continued to plainly stare at him, his features distorted by rain that'd stuck to his eyelashes.

"Get up, dumbass. Stop lying in the middle of a public road."

Seonghwa didn't move; only rubbed his eyes to make everything more visible. The first thing he noticed was Hongjoong crouching next to him, their faces mere centimeters from each other. His brown mullet cascaded down his neck in extra fluffy waves, and his pastel blue umbrella complemented his tie-dyed jeans and knitted cyan sweater.

" _Get up_ , Seonghwa," Hongjoong urged. Unlike the other times they'd talked, his lips weren't glossy and didn't have any sort of makeup on them. But they were still pink, and they were still daintily curved at the corners. Just like always.

Seonghwa stretched his hand out to touch Hongjoong's chest, noting how _quiet_ and stiff the shorter had gotten. And then he pulled and sank Hongjoong on the road.

Hongjoong swore in alarm, and Seonghwa couldn't contain himself anymore. He laughed out loud, the sound racking through his entire body.

"Now you're _wet_ ," Seonghwa cackled, his cheeks warm and his head light. "Just like _me_ _!_ "

Hongjoong looked less than amused, but he didn't say anything as the taller boy continued giggling to himself like what he'd done was the _funniest_ thing in the world. He only stared at Seonghwa, his gaze moulded with warmth and affection.

"Why did you ignore me?" Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong sat up, adjusting his umbrella. The frozen raindrops swayed with every movement he made. "I didn't ignore you."

"Bullshit."

Hongjoong began to stand, but Seonghwa grabbed his wrist.

"Tell me what I did wrong."

Hongjoong looked away and stood up. "You did nothing wrong, believe me. I..." He pursed his lips. "I put you in harm's way, which I never should've fucking done. You're not cut out for this."

Seonghwa got up as well. "I am."

"No you're _not_. Don't try to convince me otherwise." Hongjoong opened his umbrella. "Goodnight."

Seonghwa's fists clenched, heart racing intensely. He didn't know what it was, but he disliked seeing Hongjoong walk away from him like he was doing now. He _didn't_ want the younger boy to leave.

"Don't go!" he yelled, but Hongjoong continued to walk. "You -- you can't just _leave_ after everything we've done together. You can't just leave after everything you've showed me, after everything you've said and done _for_ me. You said you'd keep annoying me from now on, so why are you changing your mind now, huh?"

A foreign sensation squeezed his chest once he realized Hongjoong wasn't stopping, and Seonghwa gritted his teeth, following after him.

"I know you care about me, Kim Hongjoong!" Seonghwa exclaimed, hoping that it'd finally stop the shorter.

It did.

Hongjoong swiftly turned around, glaring sharply at Seonghwa's soaked form. "Stop shouting my name."

"Then stop ignoring me."

Hongjoong paused. Suddenly, he was racing rabidly towards Seonghwa, forcefully knocking into the taller and slamming him against the ground.

"Hongjoong -- " Seonghwa gasped, eyes wide with shock as Hongjoong held him down with so much power it made him lose his breath.

The shorter's irises were yellower than ever, pulsing with venomous intensity. "Stay the fuck away from me, Seonghwa!" His grip loosened on Seonghwa's shirt.

Seonghwa sputtered, trying to catch his breath. But even with this, he flashed a closed-mouthed smile. "...You're still here."

Hongjoong continued to glare at him, but it didn't affect Seonghwa anymore.

"You're still here, holding me even when you just threatened me to stay away. That's because you _care_. You don't actually want me gone..."

Hongjoong's jaw clenched, his eyes softening. "Seonghwa -- "

"You should stay with me, Hongjoong. I don't wanna leave, not yet." Seonghwa knew the alcohol in his system was the thing allowing him to say all this, but he didn't mind it. For once, he liked not having to worry about saying and doing the right thing.

It was a nice feeling.


	17. moonlight

  
Hongjoong knew he shouldn't have listened to Seonghwa, knew the taller was intoxicated and was probably uttering the first words that entered his mind because he was acting on plain impulse and nothing else. He _knew_ all this, but here he was, placing a languid Seonghwa comfortably on the rooftop of some random, large house before sitting down next to him.

Seonghwa's body was still damp from the now dispersed rainfall, his black locks falling in loose curls around his forehead. His high cheekbones were darkened with baby pink; the exact same colour as his plump lips which were now slightly parted, inhaling low gulps of air.

"...Are you okay?" Hongjoong asked, clearing his throat when his voice came out all wobbly. Seriously, what the hell just happened?

Seonghwa ran his fingers through his hair, only for the strands to fall back on his face again. His round, almost obsidian eyes bored into Hongjoong's, making eye contact between them a lot more difficult. "I'm just tired."

Hongjoong shouldn't have been here with Seonghwa right now. Sure, he had no documented missions this weekend, but that didn't mean he didn't need some rest. He sighed, hating the fact that his plan to cut whatever relationship he and Seonghwa had loose had totally backfired on him. But it wasn't his fault; _something_ about Seonghwa made him _not_ want to leave.

Throughout the years he'd spent being alive and doing what he did, he'd never seen the big deal about upholding relations with people other than his brother. But now all of a sudden, Seonghwa made him want to _change that_. It messed with Hongjoong's head.

"I should take you home since you're tired," Hongjoong suggested, peering down at Seonghwa's resting form.

The taller had his eyes closed, looking quite snug in his position despite his wet clothes and the flattened, hard surface of the roof. "No. I want to stay here a bit."

"Don't you have a party to go back to?" Hongjoong tried again. If he was being honest, he _did_ want to stay here a while with Seonghwa, but with everything that happened in Flora that Tuesday, his conscience had been plaguing him to let the taller go. He couldn't rope Seonghwa along any longer, _especially_ when Seonghwa wasn't like him.

He'd had his fun, Hongjoong thought, so now they needed to go back to being strangers. So why did the mere thought of it feel so _arduous_?

As if he'd read Hongjoong's mind, Seonghwa's lips lifted a little. Those dark eyes of his opened again, as bottomless as a starless sky. "I don't like parties."

"Then why'd you go?"

"Maybe..." Seonghwa softly sighed, "maybe because I'd thought you'd _follow_ me there. It's dumb, but look, you're here now aren't you?"

Hongjoong snickered; he couldn't help it. "Idiot."

Seonghwa didn't reply, only digging through his jeans for something. Then, to the shorter's surprise, he pulled out a crumpled, soggy leaf.

"Why do you have a leaf in your pocket?" Hongjoong spoke up, bewildered.

Seonghwa bit his lip, his brows furrowing at the sight of the demolished leaf. He looked disappointed. "This leaf fell on me at lunch on Wednesday. It was bright gold -- the brightest fucking gold I've ever seen on a leaf, I swear. I wanted to show you, but look what happened."

Hongjoong shook his head, chortles leaving him. "What else did you _actually_ fucking expect it to look like after leaving it in your pocket under the rain?"

Seonghwa's frown deepened. He looked so utterly and genuinely _disturbed_ by the leaf's demise that Hongjoong's only response to it was to laugh even louder.

"You look like you just went through multiple divorces all at once," Hongjoong chuckled. His joke must've not been funny because Seonghwa wasn't laughing. He wasn't laughing _at all_.

"Stop being a bitch," Seonghwa muttered, his face still reminiscent of a kicked puppy's.

To be honest, Hongjoong should've expected this just from how much it happened alone. Seonghwa's looks were the embodiment of a flower boy; the nice guy next door who asked the father for _permission_ to date his daughter. But his blunt words and impulsive actions were the complete opposite of that.

That side of Seonghwa didn't bother Hongjoong much, it proved to be his charming point.

"I'm not a bitch," Hongjoong replied, laughing when the taller boy glared at him. How could he not when Seonghwa's glare was basically as potent as cotton candy?

"Then tell me more about you," Seonghwa prompted. He had his arm behind his head, staring at the sky through his curled, long lashes. " _But before all that,_ tell me what happened to me back at Flora."

Hongjoong pushed out a petulant breath, but he found himself lying down as well, picking at his navy blue nails. "Yunho and I saw the whip catch on fire and came rushing in. And then..." he paused, thoughts about Seonghwa on that tower screaming at _nothing_ and shivering flashing across his mind. Hongjoong quickly got rid of them.

Seonghwa was looking at him, his face pulled into a mild frown. "...And then what?"

Hongjoong broke their eye contact and shut his eyes instead. "...I took you home."

"Was there anything else on the roof with me at that time?" Seonghwa's tone was heavy and laced with some desperation.

Hongjoong covered his face with his arm, keeping his voice levelled despite the fact his nerves were at an all-time high. "We killed the Mon -- don't worry."

It was a lie that, thankfully, Seonghwa seemed to believe. Silence commenced between both boys, but Hongjoong could still feel Seonghwa's questioning gaze on him.

"Stop lookin' at me and say what you wanna say," Hongjoong let out.

"I -- I wasn't -- "

Hongjoong flipped to the side to stare more openly at the taller, catching him in the act. "What? You like my face that much?"

Seonghwa's Adam's apple bobbed. He tried to push Hongjoong away, but that proved futile since the shorter was stronger than him. It was a fact they both knew.

But, Seonghwa didn't look irritated anymore. He merely _smiled_ , that action of his taking Hongjoong aback. It wasn't one of his closed-mouthed ones either, but rather big and _cheery_ , revealing straight, pearly teeth.

Hongjoong, for lack of a better word, was _stunned_. He just laid there, wondering what he'd done to make Seonghwa look at him in that way.

The older boy was captivatingly handsome; it was something that'd always lurked at the deepest corner of his mind, but was now as obvious as ever.

Hongjoong found a lot of people attractive, it was normal since good-looking people existed everywhere. But Seonghwa had _something different_ about him. He wasn't _just_ handsome, he was pretty. _Enthralling_ , even.

Hongjoong ached to inch closer and run his thumb over Seonghwa's cheek, to see if his skin was truly as _smooth_ and as soft as it looked. _Stop being weird_.

"Why are you smiling like that?" He decided on asking instead.

"Because maybe..." Seonghwa's voice was slower now, bordering on hushed, "because maybe if I act nicer to you, then you'll tell me who you actually are..."

"You're sleepy," Hongjoong stated, and Seonghwa rolled his eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm drained and tired as fuck. I even have _work_ tomorrow as well," he replied, voice lowered and huskier with fatigue as he sifted through his drying dark hair.

Annoyance boiled inside Hongjoong, but it immediately sizzled off once he spotted the look of utter _defeat_ on Seonghwa's face.

"I wish I could just sleep forever, and not open my eyes for as long as I want to," Seonghwa rambled, staring into space. "Waking up, going to school, heading back home, work -- everything's just too fucking _hard_ these days. _Being alive_ is too hard."

A lump grew in Hongjoong's throat, because he could relate. _Used to_. Seonghwa's mumbled words were concerning, mostly because he knew the older must've thought of them a lot for him to say them in such a casual setting.

Thoughts like those weren't good for the mind, Hongjoong knew, and even if Seonghwa quarreled with him quite often, he didn't want the other going through all that. Not tonight.

So he leapt to his feet, carrying Seonghwa with him bridal-style.

As expected, Seonghwa began flailing about, hitting wherever he could to get Hongjoong to let him go.

Hongjoong suddenly yelped and fell on one knee, trying his hardest not to laugh when Seonghwa quickly stopped, looking at him with wide eyes.

"W-What?" The taller asked.

"You punched my dick, asshole."

Seonghwa's entire face flamed up. "No, I did _not_!"

Hongjoong shrugged. "Yeah, you didn't."

"Then why'd you lie?" Seonghwa accused, staying deathly still while Hongjoong got back up. It was hilarious.

"To get you to shut up." Thankfully, Seonghwa was mostly dry now, but that meant Hongjoong's sensitive nose picked up on the taller's scent quicker. It was cologne, but it was sweet, like musky vanilla. It suited Seonghwa.

"Let me go," Seonghwa said, but his words lacked its previous persistence. _He's already gotten used to this,_ Hongjoong realized.

"I'll answer question one if you let me carry you," Hongjoong proposed. Look, he had _no idea_ why he was even being like this, but he loved teasing Seonghwa. He loved the feeling of him in his arms, of his warm body that complemented his cold-blooded self. "Promise I won't drop you."

"...Okay." Seonghwa's hands ran over Hongjoong's shoulders, intertwining behind his neck to steady himself. He had no reason to do so since Hongjoong wasn't planning on letting him go anytime soon, but his touches still left him dazed and confused.

"I'm a _Variant_ ," Hongjoong revealed, feeling Seonghwa's eyes on him. The knots in his stomach remained as tight as ever, though, because now that the older knew just what he was, he could finally find an excuse to stay away. "...At least, that's the name given to people like me. Yunho's one, San is one, and there are others like us as well."

Seonghwa kept listening, kept being _interested_. "So every Variant has powers?"

Hongjoong's grip on Seonghwa tightened as he jumped off the roof and several others, before agilely landing on another. Seonghwa's gaze never left him. "Yes. Some have more than others. But most of us use them to kill off those dangerous Mons since we're the ones who can see them."

"...So why can I see them?" Seonghwa asked.

Actually, Hongjoong hadn't thought about that. He'd had his doubts at times, but Seonghwa was _human_. He was almost sure of it.

"Humans with higher sensitivity than normal have been reported seeing them," Hongjoong explained, and it _was_ true, even if it was basically rare. He just hadn't seen any of them before except for Seonghwa.

At the final house on the lane, Hongjoong kicked off the edge of ths roof and flew into the sky, Seonghwa still in his arms.

"You can take a look if you want, y'know?" Hongjoong teased, grinning brightly at the sight of Seonghwa's glare. "Don't be scared."

Seonghwa ended up doing as he'd suggested, his dark eyes displaying a mirrored image of the many stars he gawked at, and Hongjoong really enjoyed seeing his amazement.

"At first," Seonghwa's baritone voice entered Hongjoong's ears after a minute or so of idly flying, "I'd thought you were a vampire or something..."

If he _hadn't_ been carrying Seonghwa right now, he was _sure_ would've doubled over laughing. " _How_?"

Seonghwa looked embarrassed. "Your teeth. Canines, to be exact."

"There's no way in hell I'd suck blood from others," Hongjoong grimaced. "Blood is _so gross_."

"Then what are you?"

"A variant."

"No," Seonghwa paused, the blaring city lights making him appear downright _angelic_. "I mean -- you're a hybrid, right?"

"...Mhm." Hongjoong nodded.

"So what kind of hybrid are you?"

To tell the truth, Hongjoong _didn't_ want Seonghwa knowing about his other half. He really didn't.

So he completely glossed over the question. "Your house is nearby now."

Seonghwa's face fell. "I don't want to go home. Not tonight."

Hongjoong rose an eyebrow. "Seonghwa..."

The aforementioned male looked him in the eye, and suddenly Hongjoong had an inkling as to what he meant.

⛓️

If someone had told Seonghwa he'd be waking up in Hongjoong's room in the nearest future, he would've laughed or thought that the person was crazy.

But here he was now, opening his eyes on the shorter's springy, cozy bed. A blood red bedspread covered his body up to his chest, filling him with warmth and protecting him from the bitter autumn winds.

As soon as he realized just _where_ he was, Seonghwa sat up and leant against the bedpost, his head feeling strangely light and weightless.

Hongjoong's room was even _smaller_ than his, but was totally packed with colourful art posters, vinyl records, accessories, a small cupboard at the side that contained books and other reading materials. At the right hand corner stood a wardrobe that was slightly ajar, revealing clothing that'd been arranged according to colour.

There was just so _much_ going on that Seonghwa didn't know where to look first. He felt like by being in Hongjoong's room, he was taking a peek into his mind, and it felt a bit... _private_.

 _You're the one who convinced him to bring you here_ , his mind scolded, and it was right. He just _didn't_ want to go home last night, but the more seconds he spent in Hongjoong's room, the more he thought he'd made the wrong decision.

Seonghwa's heart dropped when he realized he had no idea where his phone was. He could only imagine all the texts and calls Mingi and San had probably already sent him.

Even his clothes _felt_ different too. He was wearing an oversized yellow shirt and black shorts.

Immediately, Seonghwa left Hongjoong's room, wincing a bit at the morning light coming from the livingroom.

The floor tiles felt cold under the soles of his feet, and then he heard some humming coming from the kitchen.

Seonghwa continued to walk, stopping once he got to the kitchen area. He chose to stay as quiet as possible in order to see who it was.

Hongjoong stood in front of the counter, seeming quite busy with something Seonghwa's eyes couldn't catch. He wore a black beanie, as well as this large, space-themed shirt that reached down to his thighs which captured Seonghwa's attention a lot more than it should have.

He cleared his throat, but Hongjoong didn't even _try_ to look startled. He just turned and shot Seonghwa a lopsided grin, one which felt a little _different_.

"Good morning, Seonghwa," he greeted. "You woke up a bit earlier than I thought. It's only 6."

"Hey." Seonghwa didn't know why he waved after that, but he did. Hongjoong was still smiling, and normally it would've got on Seonghwa's nerves. But things didn't feel the same now. "Where's Yunho, and where are your parents?"

Hongjoong had already gone back to what he was working on. "Yunho fell asleep after staying up with you since he was tired, and ah, well, our parents aren't around right now."

"Yunho stayed up with me? What did we do?" Seonghwa gaped.

Hongjoong chuckled, shutting the container in front of him. "You didn't wanna sleep so we all played some card games together, but then you complained about your clothes itching you so Yunho gave you one of his clothes to sleep in."

Despite the shorter's words, Seonghwa still felt himself panic, because what if he'd done something embarrassing last night? Shit like that just loved happening to him _all the time_.

"You should take a seat at the dining table. I, with some guidance from Yunho, made you something," Hongjoong continued, sparing Seonghwa another glance.

Seonghwa didn't know what to say. "Hongjoong, I -- "

" _Sit_ ," Hongjoong's commanded, but his eyes radiated tenderness.

Seonghwa did as he'd asked, spotting his phone on said table and grabbing it as quick as he could. It was still functioning, fully charged. He wondered if Hongjoong had anything to do with it.

Seonghwa entered his phone and went through his messages first, not in the mood to call anyone so early in the morning.

**-** **sanshine**   
_where did you go tonight hwa?_   
_me and mingi looked everywhere for you_

**-** **sanshine**   
_i called too, but you_ _werent_ _picking up_   
_i'm guessing you went home??_

**-** **sanshine**   
_at least that's what i told mingi_   
_he's a lot harder to convince when drunk_

Seonghwa felt guilty.

 **\- hwa**  
 _hey san,_  
 _actually, i'm not home_  
 _i went to hongjoong's house_.

**\- hwa**   
_sorry for not picking up all night_   
_i'm going to work soon btw, so if you're free you can come over to talk_

San didn't reply, but Seonghwa had expected that. His friend was a night owl and detested waking up before ten on the weekends.

He went on to Mingi's latest text messages, skipping over the ones from his father.

**\- mings**   
_seonghwa, where did u go??_   
_please, please answer me_

**\- mings**   
_i've been calling for an hour now and ur not picking up_   
_are u okay_   
_where are you??_

**\- mings**   
_seonghwa please pick up_   
_i need to know that ur okay_

**\- mings**   
_i'm so so worried hwa_   
_even your father_ _isnt_ _at home_   
_i dont want u getting hurt_   
_please reply_   
_please_

Seonghwa hated the fact that he'd put his best friend through all this worry. He chewed his lip, trying to think of the best way to answer.

**\- seongs**   
_hey mingi_   
_i'm so sorry for taking so much time to answer_

Mingi's reply was instantaneous.

**\- mings**   
_seonghwa oh my god_   
_are u ok?_   
_where are you??_

Hongjoong slid a bowl of porridge and berries over to Seonghwa, as well as a metal spoon to eat it with.

When Seonghwa looked up in surprise, he was met with the shorter boy grinning at him.

"Thank you," Seonghwa muttered.

" _Shh. Just eat_ ," Hongjoong mouthed, gesturing at the cereal.

**\- seongs**   
_i'm at hongjoong's_

Mingi began typing, only to stop then type something up again.

As Seonghwa ate the admittedly tasty porridge, he could only feel his nervousness rise.

**\- mings**   
_kim hongjoong?_

**\- seongs**   
_yes_   
_but i'm heading to work soon_   
_we can talk then_

Yet again, Mingi took a longer time than usual to reply.

**\- mings**   
_oh_

**\- mings**   
_its fine_   
_i'm just glad ur someplace safe_   
_i'll see you soon!_

**\- mi** **ngs**   
_tell hongjoong i said hello :)_

**\- seongs**   
_i will_

"Mingi?" Hongjoong suddenly asked right next to Seonghwa, their close proximity internally driving the taller _nuts_.

"Y-Yes." Seonghwa coughed, taking more spoonfuls of the porridge. "He told me to say hi to you."

Hongjoong hummed, nodding. Then he rested his head on his palm, observing the dark haired male. "Is it good?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Good," Hongjoong clapped, sounding extremely satisfied. "Because I also packed you a lunchbox with all the food I think you'd like."

Shock consumed Seonghwa. "Why -- why are you doing this?"

"You said it yourself, didn't you?" Hongjoong answered, lips forming a mellow smile. "Because I care."


	18. horizon

  
It was just after 5PM, but the air felt as cold and as crisp as Antarctica. Seonghwa slung his bag over his shoulder, hands digging into his jean pockets as soon as he left _Treasure_ cafe with Mingi at his side.

The brown haired male had arrived at Seonghwa's workplace as soon as he could earlier that morning, waiting at a table and talking with Seonghwa whenever he had the time to. They even shared that lunchbox Hongjoong had prepared, Seonghwa wisely choosing not to mention anything about who made it since Mingi could get pretty invasive due to his questioning nature at times.

However, Mingi seemed okay for the most part which _should've_ calmed Seonghwa, but something in him told him the taller had other things on his mind he wasn't speaking of.

Whenever those doubts arrived though, Seonghwa would shut them out. After all, Mingi was just being his usual worried self, and now that they could talk things would return back to normal, right?

"Oh, I forgot to mention this," Mingi spoke up, both boys walking past a lit lamppost. He kicked at a tiny pebble, raking his hand through his hair.

"Mention what?" Seonghwa casually asked, dropping his gaze from the cantaloupe orange sky.

"Your hoodie," Mingi said, "it's new."

Nervous chuckles escaped Seonghwa's lips as he lightly pulled at that same pink hoodie Hongjoong had gifted to him earlier. "Ah, yeah... What about it?"

"It's cute." Mingi flashed a small, lighthearted smile, his eyes alternating between Seonghwa's face and the sky. "Pink looks cute on you."

Seonghwa nodded. "Thanks." He didn't know why there suddenly was this tense, awkward atmosphere surrounding them, and it didn't sit right with him. He quickly wanted to get rid of it. "Your clothes look good on you too."

"Really?" Mingi laughed, a twinge of disbelief marring his tone. "I just put together whatever I saw first in my closet. I mean, I'm no Kim Hongjoong, but..."

Seonghwa stopped walking. The skies were now tangerine in colour, the descending sun shining a peachy hue over Mingi's face and highlighting the heaviness in his eyes.

" _You're no Kim Hongjoong_? What do you mean by that?" Seonghwa didn't have a clue where Mingi was getting at, and it didn't help that the taller's expression remained overwhelmingly obscure.

"He's the one who bought you that hoodie, right?" Mingi concluded, kicking at something else on the ground.

"Mingi."

"You guys seem to be hanging out a lot more now. I guess that's nice," the taller boy continued, confusing Seonghwa even more.

Fortunately, they were both located close to one of those old convenience stores that only attracted a niche amount of customers. That gave Seonghwa the bravery to further query his friend about his extremely odd words.

"Mingi," he questioned, "what's going on? What are you talking about?"

Throughout the many years Seonghwa had known Mingi, he's never seen the other stay mad or displeased for long. He'd _always_ added fun and joy to whatever he put his mind to, finding ways to cheer others up whenever they felt sad, specifically Seonghwa.

But as Seonghwa continued to stare at Mingi, he noticed the dull look that had overtaken the taller's features. He no longer seemed like himself.

"Nothing's wrong." Mingi played with the sleeves of his sweater, all tight smiles and dimming eyes. "I'm fine."

But Seonghwa _wasn't_ fine. How could he be alright when something was obviously bothering his closest friend that he had no idea of? It made him feel like a shit human being, and he _hated_ it. He hated it a lot.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Seonghwa said, telling himself everything was fine and that whatever Mingi was feeling right now would fade away soon enough. "I won't judge you for it, Mings. I'm always here."

Mingi wasn't looking at him. "We should probably hurry up to get to the bus stop on time."

Seonghwa didn't know what prompted him to do it, but he reached out and grabbed his friend's arm, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

Mingi stiffened, and then watched the area where Seonghwa held him without saying anything.

Seonghwa let him go, clearing his throat in the process. "I'm sorry. I just -- "

"No..." Mingi muttered, facing the shorter. He stepped closer. "It's okay, Hwa. You shouldn't apologize for holding me."

He stared at Seonghwa with nothing but unfamiliar intensity swimming in his irises, like he was trying to find an answer to something Seonghwa didn't even know the question to.

Mingi's lips parted, about to say his next words when _something_ up ahead captured Seonghwa's attention.

It was dark and averagely tall, with long, deformed limbs and a slow but purposeful gait.

Seonghwa's eyes enlarged at the sight. It was a _Mon_.

He looked around, dread spiking once he realized the only people around right then were him and Mingi. The Mon continued crawl forward, the orange sunset bouncing off its opaque and unsettling frame.

Mingi quickly picked up on his friend's expression, his own falling. "What?" He stared behind him, narrowed eyes searching the vicinity. "Is...something _there_?"

As if it'd heard Mingi, the large Mon began advancing at a faster pace, eerily wailing down the street.

Seonghwa knew then he didn't have time to waste; he had to get Mingi _out of there_.

"Seonghwa -- " Mingi stopped talking as soon as Seonghwa grabbed his hand and rushed them both into the dimly lit convenience store. They couldn't have gone anywhere else without that _thing_ pouncing on them with those extended claws it had.

The Mon didn't have eyes, only a gaping hole on the lower half of its face which meant it probably relied more on hearing than anything else, so Seonghwa had to make sure he and Mingi made the least noise as possible.

Mingi's hand grabbed his wrist then, and suddenly Seonghwa was aware of his hand covering the taller's mouth.

Seonghwa quickly dropped his hand, while Mingi crouched to his knees, steadying himself by inhaling a few breaths.

"I'm sorry," Seonghwa apologized, but his eyes kept darting out of those closed glass doors of the store. The silence outside was alarming, and what made things worse was that there weren't any working staff present at the store.

Mingi stayed in his position, peering at Seonghwa under the flickering fluorescent lightbulbs with wide eyes.

"Hwa," he whispered, his voice still a bit breathless, "why -- why did we suddenly run in here? What's going on?"

The Mon was slowly nearing the store.

Panicked, Seonghwa knelt beside his friend, taking in his worried and confused gaze. "I need you to go hide at the back aisle. Please. Like right now."

Mingi's face scrunched with scepticism, but sparks of _fear_ lit his eyes. "W-Why? What's going on outside?"

"Just do as I say," Seonghwa pleaded.

" _But I don't know what's going on_ ," Mingi whisper-yelled. "What the fuck are we hiding from? I need to _know_."

Seonghwa's phone vibrated then, preventing him from lashing out at his friend. His clammy fingers hurriedly switched on the phone, his anxiety haywire.

It was then he saw Hongjoong's contact name, the one the shorter had sneakily added when they'd finally exchanged numbers that morning.

**-** **joong** **🐣✨**  
_get mingi somewhere_  
_he can't see us._  
_yunho and i are heading in now_

Seonghwa didn't even hesitate. He snatched Mingi's hand with his and led them into the storage room, pitch black darkness soon encircling them.

Mingi's face was drenched in shadows, but his eyes were wider then ever, gazing at Seonghwa with nothing but alarm. His chest rapidly rose and fell, his body immensely tense under the shorter's grip.

"Seonghwa..." Mingi gulped, seeming to be the only one of the two that noticed how close they'd gotten. "I -- "

Seonghwa's phone vibrated again and the shorter quickly stepped back and took the device, completely missing the way Mingi stared at his lips.

**\- joong🐣✨**  
_we're done_

A relieved sigh left Seonghwa's lips, but then the door to the storage room slammed shut. Mingi wasn't there anymore.

"Mingi, wait," Seonghwa immediately left as well, stopping only when he was met with lights of the store irritated his eyes. The bulbs weren't flickering anymore, but were bright and functioning, the area seeming like a brand new place altogether.

And in the middle of it all was Yunho, donned in a long grey coat, a white turtleneck and black jeans as he nonchalantly searched through the snack aisle like he was just a regular customer.

His eyes lit up as soon as he spotted Seonghwa, but he quickly hid it. "Uh, hello. Does anybody work here? I wanted to buy some snacks."

Despite the way Mingi's hands clenched, he didn't look at Yunho with any hostility. But he _was_ momentarily stunned by the taller's deep blue eyes. He kept avoiding Seonghwa's gaze, though. "No one really comes here anymore. And those snacks have probably expired already."

"...Oh." Yunho unceremoniously dropped the one he held, before quickly picking it up and pushing it back into its place, trying to look as chill as possible.

Mingi looked amused, but his eyes were _sad_. Without sparing Seonghwa another glance, he rushed out of the store, disappearing before Seonghwa could even attempt following after him.

" _Shit_!" Seonghwa cursed, raking his hands through his hair frustratedly. It was as clear as day he'd managed to piss Mingi off, and now he didn't know what to do.

"Something happen between you and Mingi?" Yunho asked, his expression showcasing concern.

"I took him into the storage room to hide from that Mon like Hongjoong had suggested," Seonghwa stated, "but now he's confused -- and rightfully so. I can't even _tell_ him what's happening."

It felt like his world had begun tilting off its axis, like he'd already lost control of _everything._ He took in deep breaths, his heartbeat firing away in his chest.

Yunho placed his hand on Seonghwa's shaking shoulders. "Hey, it's okay. Everything's okay."

" _Nothing's okay._ Nothing's _ever okay_ ," Seonghwa shook his head, glaring hard at the chipping walls of the convenience store.

" _No_ , Seonghwa. Everything _is_ fine," Yunho argued, hugging him close. And normally, Seonghwa would've stepped away because hugs only reminded him of the past and he disliked anything and everything that reminded him of it, but Yunho's bear-like hug was comforting. _Needed_ , even.

In only a few seconds, Seonghwa's worries seemed to lessen, and he had to wonder if calming hugs were a part of Yunho's variant abilities.

The taller passed him a lollipop, but this time instead of red, it was _yellow_.

Seonghwa took it, puzzled. "What's this for?"

Yunho smiled, his blue eyes as tender as always. "It's your choice. Either tell Mingi it was just a prank to scare him, or give him this lollipop to erase his memories of the last twenty-four hours. We never usually use this method, but Hongjoong told me to give it to you in case you wanted it."

Seonghwa shook his head, dropping the lollipop back into Yunho's hand. Even if he acted like a dick a lot of the time, there was still no way he could do something like that without Mingi's permission. "I can't use it on him."

Yunho grinned, nodding approvingly. "Good choice. Then you just tell him you were playing a prank, then take him out for food or something to earn his trust back. I hate seeing you sad."

Seonghwa bit his lip, pondering over the taller's words. "...I might do that. Thanks."

Yunho opened the door for Seonghwa and then him to step out, and instantly the store's lightbulbs resumed their previous pathetic states.

As both boys walked down the quiet streets, each consecutive lamppost bursted with light.

"I'm also kind of a whiz with electricity," Yunho chuckled, his hair appearing almost white under the canopy of the pale, artificial lighting.

Seonghwa smiled a little, but the ache in his chest was still present. Right now, he knew Mingi needed his space and any attempt to contact him would end up with futile results, so he planned on reaching out to him later and doing what Yunho had so kindly suggested.

"...Where's Hongjoong?" he found himself asking after some time.

Yunho looked up in thought. "He went away after we killed off the Mon. Didn't tell me where." Suddenly he snapped his fingers. "Speaking of Hongjoong: did you like that lunchbox he prepared? Because for the first time forever, he made a meal without my help. _Multiple_ meals, technically."

Seonghwa's neck burned. He adjusted his collar. "It was okay."

"I'm glad he didn't poison you or anything."

Seonghwa sputtered out a laugh, shielding his grin from view. "Nah."

Yunho was nice, _and_ funny. Two things Mingi definitely were. They were like different variations of the same character, and that fact alone shoved Seonghwa further into his guilt.

He could only hope things would turn out okay between them.

⛓️

  
**\- hwa**  
_san, hey_  
_have you heard from mingi?_

**\- sanshine**  
_uh, yeah_  
_he just called me a few mins ago_

**\- hwa**  
_oh_  
_is he okay??_

**\- sanshine**  
_he told me smth happened between u guys_

**\- hwa**  
_yes, but i'm gonna fix it_

**\- sanshine**  
_how?_

**\- hwa**  
_i'll take him out and not make him mad at me anymore_

**\- sanshine**  
_don't do that_

Seonghwa's worry spiked and he rubbed his forehead, trying not to _scream_.

**\- hwa**  
_why??_

**\- sanshine**  
_he'll think its a date_

**\- hwa**  
_but its not a date_  
_i just want to make it up to him_

**\- sanshine**  
_dont do it_

**\- hwa**  
_what should i do then?_  
_san, he was there this evening when a_ _mon_ _appeared, and i had to hide him so he wouldn't see hongjoong and yunho._  
_i can't tell him what's happening_

**\- sanshine**  
_no you can't_  
_but you CAN talk to him and do what he likes with him, like play video games._  
_just convince him it was a joke or something, thats what i tried telling him too_

**\- hwa**  
_ok, sure_  
_thanks_

**\- sanshine**  
_you're welcome 😊_

Seonghwa dropped his phone then just laid there, staring blankly at his patterned ceiling. Everywhere was silent since his father wasn't home and he had no one to talk to now, and slowly but surely, loneliness started carving itself into his brain.

" _Knock knock. Your order from Kiki's Delivery Service is hereee_!" A new voice chirped right outside his window, tapping it.

Seonghwa sat up and pulled open his window, not even shocked once he saw Hongjoong floating outside his window, a steaming box of pizza in hand.

"You look mad," Hongjoong observed. Just like Yunho he wore a turtleneck, but his was black and short-sleeved, revealing his toned arms. The thick and bejewelled choker around his neck was black as well, and his eyes were even framed with winged liner, putting more dimension to them. "Should I come another time?"

Seonghwa cleared his throat and looked away. "You weren't in the store with Yunho tonight."

"I don't think your friend likes me too much," Hongjoong said with a laugh, but Seonghwa only frowned at that.

"What?"

Hongjoong looked exasperated. "Let me in, Seonggie. I don't wanna barge in all uninvited like last time. It wasn't cool."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes. "Sure. Whatever."

Hongjoong grinned, before flying in and plopping himself on Seonghwa's bed, the pizza box still intact. He spent some seconds just _watching_ Seonghwa, before remarking, "Trouble in paradise?"

Seonghwa sat next to him, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Mingi's mad at me."

Hongjoong just hummed, and then he was eating a pizza slice which didn't fail to irritate Seonghwa.

"How can you be _eating_ _pizza_ when Mingi and I's friendship is at stake because of those stupid Mons?" Seonghwa gaped.

"Chill," Hongjoong said, taking another bite. "Nothing is being at stake here. Mingi likes you _too_ much to stay angry at you for long, and besides, who _doesn't_ like pizza? Just relax and eat with me, I'll even save the bigger slices for you."

"The slices are the exact same size."

"It's the thought that counts."

Seonghwa scoffed, hugging his pillow close.

"Stop being stubborn." Hongjoong smirked and picked up a new pizza slice. "I can even feed you one if you'd like. Just say ' _aaah_ '."

"No thanks."

" _Aaaah_ ," Hongjoong scooted next to him, his smile wide and his eyes glowing.

He was attractive.

Seonghwa blinked at the thought, which Hongjoong used as the chance to slip the pizza slice into his mouth. " _Honjoof_ \-- "

"Chew, fool."

And that Seonghwa did. He didn't really have much of a choice anyway, the Margherita pizza was already in his mouth. It tasted heavenly in all the right places, so Seonghwa really couldn't stay angry anymore.

"You know, sometimes I feel the only reason you're get mad so easily is because you're hangry," Hongjoong joked, twisting open a soft drink he brought out of nowhere. He handed it to Seonghwa. " _Sprite_ , not alcohol."

Seonghwa took a sip, admittedly feeling better. "Thanks."

"Welcome," Hongjoong grinned. It seemed the more Seonghwa stared at him, the _better_ he looked.

The shorter's face was nearly androgynous and it was _especially_ prevalent whenever he had on makeup, like right now. But he also had high cheekbones and a chiselled jawline, as well as lean, muscled limbs.

"What?" Hongjoong questioned.

"Nothing." Seonghwa downed his drink as fast as he could, but it turned out to be too fast because the next thing he knew, he burped.

"Did you just -- _Oh my god_." Hongjoong watched him with big eyes, before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Seonghwa tried holding it in, but soon enough he was giggling as well, half amused and half embarrassed. "Shut _up_."

Hongjoong was still laughing, his body shaking over Seonghwa's bed. He looked like he was getting electrocuted, which resulted in Seonghwa laughing harder.

So in the end they _both_ laughed a lot, and Seonghwa really liked it.


	19. help

  
Mingi didn't come to school on Monday. To be honest, Seonghwa should've expected it as he hadn't seen the taller in the bus on his way to school, but a huge part of him had still _hoped_ that things would return to normal.

But there was no way it could if Seonghwa didn't try to fix things between them, and that was what he was planning to do. He knew he wasn't the best at showy gifts and grandiose displays of affection, but he was going to try his best to make things right between him and Mingi.

 _Okay...going_ _out to eat is out of the equation since San disapproved of it_ , Seonghwa thought in front of his locker that morning. His eyebrows were narrowed as he scribbled and crossed out any options that came to his head on the little notepad he had in hand; that literally went to show just how _bad_ he was at this.

 _But we will eat...Mingi likes eating,_ he continued to think, jotting down more illegible sentences while simultaneously trying not to let the frustration he felt swallow him whole.

With a huff, he crossed out the last suggestion with so much force the pen snapped in half, which only made Seonghwa _a lot_ more frustrated.

A pair of black rhinestone boots stepped before the fallen pen just as Seonghwa had bent down to take it, and as soon as he looked up, his heart did a _thing_.

Hongjoong gave him a playful sort of smile, before crouching down as well so they could face each other.

"Poor pen..." Hongjoong said as he picked said pen up, his and Seonghwa's knuckles brushing. "Did _Seonggie_ do this to you? I know, he's been so _aggressive_ today."

Seonghwa glared daggers at Hongjoong, before rising to his feet. His knuckles still simmered hotly from the brief contact they'd had with the shorter's fingers, and he didn't like it. "Go away."

Hongjoong leant sideways against a nearby locker, his white beanie reminding Seonghwa of what he'd worn yesterday morning, and as a result the taller boy made a point _not_ to watch him.

"This is ironic," Hongjoong started, "since I specifically remember you telling me to _stay with you_ on Saturday night."

Seonghwa's face burned. He'd spent all night yesterday berating himself for those words he'd uttered once he'd remembered everything clearly. "Shut up."

Hongjoong slid into his personal space without warning, taking Seonghwa's notepad while the taller's heartbeat began massively accelerating.

"Hongjoong -- " Seonghwa reached out to take back his notepad, but the shorter was fast and infuriatingly light on his feet. "Give it back."

Hongjoong dodged all his attempts, their little 'fight' gaining the attention of some of the other students by their own lockers. Most of them looked curious, while a few of them were openly gaping since they never knew Park Seonghwa could 'play around' this way around someone other than Mingi -- and with _Hongjoong_ of all people.

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa gritted while the shorter continued reading through the options he'd written down. God, this was so embarrassing.

"You overthink too much," Hongjoong finalized. "Seriously, I've seen you two spend a fuck-ton of time together. Your friendship isn't gonna die 'cause of this."

Seonghwa hated to admit it, but Hongjoong _was_ right. He thought too much. From his words to his actions, even down to how he dressed and what he ate. It was only recently he'd had a taste of how it'd _felt_ to do things without mulling consistently over them beforehand, and that always happened whenever Hongjoong was around.

Hongjoong didn't make him _think_ as much; he never had to overwhelm himself with thoughts anytime he was with the younger boy.

Seonghwa went to grab the notepad again, only for Hongjoong to push it into his back pocket. "Hongjoong."

"No planning today," the shorter announced.

"Give me back my notepad."

"If you want it so much you'd have to touch my ass to get it," Hongjoong replied, causing Seonghwa's eyes to widen as he choked on literal _air_.

Seonghwa shut his locker, fingers trembling and disgustingly clammy. "You're gross."

"No," Hongjoong swung his arm over Seonghwa's shoulder, not seeming to give a crap about all the stares they were receiving. "I'm Kim Hongjoong, center of the _world_."

Seonghwa ignored his wordplay and frowned, pretending he was all bothered by Hongjoong touching him. In all honestly, he wasn't really anymore. Usually, physical affection made him anxious, but whenever Hongjoong initiated it now, it felt... _nice_.

"Listen, just hang out with him and do whatever the hell you guys do with each other," Hongjoong was saying, fingers rubbing over Seonghwa's shoulder. "That should do it."

"...I'm nervous, though," Seonghwa mumbled, which Hongjoong caught.

The shorter's smile faded, and Seonghwa hated the way he watched him.

"Don't look at me like that."

Hongjoong bit his lip. "Like what?"

 _Like I'm weak. Like you can see just how sad I am_. Seonghwa cleared his throat and looked away. "Nothing."

By that time Hongjoong's smile was totally gone, now replaced with uncharacteristic worry. It softened the edges of his face and made him look younger. _Childlike_ , almost. "Hey, stop worrying. In fact, I'll help you with it if you'd like."

Seonghwa raked his hands through his hair only for some strands to fall over his eyes again. He was about to fix them again when Hongjoong casually began _tucking_ some behind his ear, stilling Seonghwa's heart.

 _What are you doing?_ Seonghwa wanted to ask, but before he could say anything, something else caught Hongjoong's attention.

They were two girls walking down side by side, one of which Seonghwa (unenthusiastically) recognized.

"Hey, Hongjoong!" Dasom greeted with a wave that Hongjoong happily returned. She was just so... _cheery_ and pretty at the same time that it kind of (really) irked Seonghwa. "And good morning to you too, Seonghwa."

Of course, Seonghwa had no idea how she knew his name when he'd never even talked to her before, but he politely greeted her back as well even if he wasn't particularly fond of her. He watched her leave with the other girl, a frown on his face.

"How does she know me?" He found himself asking.

"Still jealous?" Hongjoong snickered.

"I'm not jealous," Seonghwa answered.

"Come on. It's so _clear_ you have some sort of dislike for her, and I'm _pretty sure_ it's just because we talked."

Seonghwa started walking away, not at all surprised when Hongjoong just rushed after him. Seriously, where was San when he needed him?

"If you're _that_ curious," Hongjoong hopped in front of him, almost making them collide, "she asked me for fashion tips to woo her crush, who _just_ so happens to be the girl she'd been walking with."

"I wasn't curious," Seonghwa replied, but a strange sort of relief washed over him then, almost like he was _glad_ that was all Dasom had asked of Hongjoong.

"We should go out sometime after school. At least, when I don't have any missions to do," Hongjoong suggested, before gasping out loud. "Like _today_."

Seonghwa's heart squeezed. "I'm not going on a date with you."

"I never said it was a _date_." Hongjoong watched him, this knowing gleam in his yellowish eyes. "Which meant you were _thinking_ about it."

Seonghwa pretended he couldn't hear him. "I have a class to go to."

Hongjoong still skipped after him, hands clenched around his bag's straps and a satisfied smile on his face. Seonghwa didn't know what it was, but ever since Saturday night, the shorter became...more _joyful_ , it seemed. He smiled more around Seonghwa, teased him more, and just seemed to be in an overall good mood.

Not that he wasn't like that before. But now he got a lot more _daring_.

"Are you okay?" Seonghwa couldn't help but ask at one point.

Hongjoong looked at him and raised a brow. "What kind of question is that?"

Seonghwa cleared his throat. "I mean -- you just...appear more excited than usual."

"Oh." Hongjoong shrugged, ruffling his hair. He then giggled. "I guess I _do_ feel _really_ good right now."

Seonghwa made his way up the stairway, Hongjoong not too far behind. "You should go back to how you were before. I don't like it."

Seonghwa was _kidding_. He rarely joked around with anyone but somehow _felt_ like poking a bit of fun at Hongjoong this morning. And he was _this_ close to laughing too, waiting for the shorter to act all offended and retort with some jab that would make the whole situation funnier.

Only...he didn't.

Instead, Seonghwa suddenly got shoved right into the corner of the stairs, Hongjoong mere centimeters from him in a matter of _seconds_. Seonghwa's entire face was alarmed, heart crazily thumping inside his chest while the shorter boy trapped him with his body, both arms slammed on the walls behind him.

Hongjoong's gaze was glowering; _dangerous_. He looked like a top predator ready to devour its prey. "So...you prefer when Joong was a little rough, _right_?"

Seonghwa didn't fucking know what was going on, but he couldn't even say _anything_. Instead, his eyes decided to act on their own accord and fall on Hongjoong's _lips_ of all places, his ears blooming a deep shade of pink.

Hongjoong's hand reached out, slowly nearing Seonghwa's face. It was only a _miracle_ no one else was around yet, which saved Seonghwa a whole lot of embarrassment in the end.

Seonghwa had no idea what he'd been expecting Hongjoong to _do_ to him, but surely he hadn't anticipated the other to just _boop_ _his nose._ At all.

But that was exactly what Hongjoong did.

Seonghwa blinked, confusion swirling in his chest as Hongjoong stepped away to clap his hands and double over with laughter.

"Did you _see_ your face?" Hongjoong wheezed, golden eyes forming happy little crescents. "You looked _so fucking red_."

Seonghwa's confusion exploded into anger, one that locked his jaw and made his fists painfully clench. "Just fuck _off_."

He roughly pushed past the shorter and continued heading up, his overwhelming emotions seething inside him.

Hongjoong _definitely_ picked up on how pissed off Seonghwa was, because he'd quickly rushed to the taller's side and held his arm to stop him. "Seonghwa."

Seonghwa pulled his arm off, his teeth gritted. "Get _the fuck_ away from me."

All traces of humour had been wiped off from Hongjoong's face. He looked serious now. Guilty. "It was a joke. I'm sorry."

In all honesty, Seonghwa didn't know the _actual_ reason why he got so mad at Hongjoong -- he just _was_. However, the more he stared into the shorter's sincere eyes, the more some of that anger began to fade away.

"...Why'd you do it?" Seonghwa asked, his voice coming out all soft.

Hongjoong looked away. "Because..."

"Because what?"

The bell rang, bringing about a hoard of approaching footsteps and loud chatter.

Hongjoong adjusted his beanie, not looking Seonghwa directly in the eye. "I won't do it again, alright? I should've respected your boundaries, and I'm sorry."

Seonghwa should have been relieved Hongjoong had apologized, but he _wasn't_. "That... that isn't what I'm mad about."

Hongjoong looked taken aback. "What -- "

Seonghwa stepped away, joining the rest of the students. "I gotta go to class."

Only when he entered his first class was he finally able to _breathe_.

⛓️

**\- dad**  
 _hey son!_  
 _i know i dont usually text you but i dont want your phone getting accidentally confiscated because of me_ _haha_

**\- dad**   
_i was wondering if after work you would like to have dinner with me outside the house._   
_you know, like we'd used to do every once in a while with mom_

**\- seonghwa**   
_i'm staying over at_ _mingi's_ _today_   
_sorry_

**\- dad**   
_oh, okay_   
_have fun! :)_

⛓️

  
Things didn't stay as awkward between Hongjoong and Seonghwa after all their classes were over. They'd both entered one of those big supermarkets that attracted loads of students due to how close it was to their school, set on getting as many snacks as they could for later.

Well, _Seonghwa_ was. Hongjoong just had his eyes on whatever caught them the quickest.

" _Hongjoong_ ," he grumbled, grabbing a box of cereal from the shorter's hands. "We're buying snacks _Mingi_ likes. Not what _you_ like."

"Excuse you? _I'm_ the one paying, so I get to buy what _I_ want as well," Hongjoong replied, before taking said cereal and dropping it into his shopping cart.

" _I'm_ paying," Seonghwa pressed, reaching for the cereal box.

Hongjoong quickly wheeled the cart away. "No. _I'm_ paying for everything."

Seonghwa loudly exhaled as he massaged his forehead. The shorter was driving him _insane_. "Fine. Whatever. I don't give a shit."

" _Yay_!" Hongjoong cheered and slid the shopping cart down the aisle like he an ecstatic five-year-old.

"Get those gummy bears over there," Seonghwa ordered Hongjoong after a couple minutes of cruising through the supermarket, fiddling with his phone in the process. "No -- actually, get _two_. Mingi likes them."

"What about what _you_ like? _You're_ important too."

"This isn't about me."

Hongjoong rolled his eyes and pouted like a baby. "Fine. I'll go get Mingi his _oh so precious_ gummy bears."

Seonghwa ignored him and dialled Mingi's number, seriously hoping his friend would pick up.

His pulse raced when the call went through.

"Mingi?" Seonghwa spoke, chewing hard on his lip.

" _Seonghwa, hi_." Mingi's voice sounded a bit muffled, maybe like he'd just woken up.

"I noticed you didn't come to school today, so I wanted to come over and spend the night at your place," Seonghwa continued. "I'm hoping you'll say yes?"

He heard some shuffling on the other hand, and then Mingi was clearing his throat.

" _You're...coming over_?" He asked, his voice still strangely hoarse.

"Yeah," Seonghwa replied. "I know I acted weird last night, and I hurt your feelings as well. So... I wanna make it up to you. Is that okay?"

" _I'm not mad at you_ ," Mingi said. " _And you can come over, by the way. What time_?"

Seonghwa ran his hand through his hair, spotting Hongjoong in the distance comparing(?) the sizes of two nearly identical packs of honey butter chips. He would've smiled at the sight if not for the fact that he'd heard Mingi sniffling from the other line.

"Mingi, are you okay?" Seonghwa questioned.

Mingi chuckled, but it sounded afflicted. " _What do you mean? Of course I'm okay, Hwa_."

"Oh..." Seonghwa slowly nodded. He had no reason to worry since Mingi himself said he was fine. "I'm glad you're fine. Um, does around six sound good?"

" _It's fine by me_."

"Alright. Bye."

" _Bye Seonghwa_." He then hung up.

" _Shit_ ," Hongjoong suddenly groaned, staring at the floor with wide eyes. "I just lost my ring."

Seonghwa switched off his phone, his chest feeling a lot lighter now. "Idiot."

Hongjoong knelt on the floor and searched around for his beloved ring. "Shut up and _help_ me."

"Can't you use your powers to find it?"

" _Unfortunately_ , I _don't_ have lazers for eyes," Hongjoong snapped, small hands curled into tight fists.

Seonghwa chuckled, and then he covered his mouth as more giggles escaped.

Hongjoong stared at him like he was awestruck. "Stop laughing."

The taller boy only laughed _more_.

" _Stop. Laughing_." Hongjoong tried to sound furious, but his smile kept growing and growing.

"Fuck. Sorry," Seonghwa grinned as he looked around for the ring.

"You have a pretty smile."

Seonghwa _blushed_ , but he chose not to acknowledge those words. Instead, he continued looking for the piece of jewelry.

⛓️

Mingi had opened the door for Seonghwa that evening dressed in his pyjamas and with a big smile on his face, eyes reflecting surprise once he spotted the two huge bags the shorter had. 

"What's inside?" He asked, helping Seonghwa with them. He sounded better now, but his eyes were a little red. 

"The first bag has extra clothing and my school stuff in it. The second has all your favourite snacks. We could play some video games or watch a movie since your parents aren't home."

Mingi chuckled. "You hate video games."

"I don't _hate_ them," Seonghwa defended himself. "I just feel nothing for them. But I wanna do what _you_ want tonight."

Mingi laughed, placing the bags on the sofa. "Thanks..."

"And I'm sorry, by the way. For last night."

"It's okay."

"It was just some dumb prank I tried to pull on you," Seonghwa explained, hoping his nervousness wasn't obvious.

"It's _okay_ ," Mingi repeated, resting his hands over the shorter's shoulders after hesitating a bit. "I'm just... _happy_ you're here right now. Really."

Seonghwa smiled. "Thanks."

  
Mingi nodded. "You're welcome. We have school tomorrow so we can't stay up for long."

"Fuck that, I wanna stay up as long as we possibly can," Seonghwa joked, happy when the taller laughed at his words.

"Okay, whatever you want."

"Can I also take a shower before we start the intense gaming stuff?" Seonghwa asked.

"You're so cute." Mingi cooed. "So of course."

It wasn't Seonghwa's first time showering in Mingi's home, but during his time spent inside the bathroom, he couldn't shake shake how strange he was feeling.

Water sprinkled from the showerhead and down the drain, and while Seonghwa washed his hair, this sudden fear gripped him. The air grew a little too hot, and Seonghwa hissed and took a step back once scalding hot water hit his skin.

He grimaced and quickly turned off the faucet, his breath coming out in quick pants. _What the fuck just happened_?

" _Nothing_ happened," he answered himself, but he wasn't keen on staying inside the shower any longer. He stepped out and grabbed a towel, his skin still lightly burning at the contact.

As he dried his hair and looked himself through the mirror, something appeared at the corner of his eye, _watching him_.

Seonghwa quickly turned his head, but was met with _nothing_.

Goosebumps spread over his arms. That fear was back again. He opted to ignore it though as he got himself dressed, heading out to meet Mingi a few minutes later.


	20. our kind

  
It was that time of the month again. That time that Hongjoong specifically didn't like and didn't care for, as the whole process took copious amounts of time and was mentally draining to say the least.

And this time, Hongjoong had a feeling it'd last even _longer_.

"Stop frowning, Joongie," Yunho assured him as soon as they both stepped through the portal that'd led them to the _Gathering_. He was dressed in a long winter coat, hands shoved into its pockets as the air over here was bordering on negative degrees. Even when he was of aquatic variance and should've been used to the cold by now, he wasn't.

"I'm not frowning," Hongjoong grumbled although it was quite obvious he _was_. Several other Variants surrounded them in their casual wears, chatting and laughing with each other despite the gloomy ambiance the Gathering exuded. But it wasn't surprising; almost everyone here was used to it by now, after all.

The Gathering was the rather simple name given to the large set of aged-up buildings that stretched over miles and miles of snow. In there they would gather, train and lecture Variants, as well as assign areas of specialization for the every new Variant they received. A _lot_ went on in there, but Hongjoong wasn't in the mood to give any more details.

He just wanted to go back to his house already, or maybe even sneak up on Seonghwa and watch the guy go bonkers over him.

"Cheer up. I think everything would take nothing more than two hours this time," Yunho said again, forever his highly optimistic self. It was a trait Hongjoong admired and so desperately wished he also had, but alas he and his brother were built different, both physically _and_ mentally.

"We'd be lucky if it was _only_ two hours," Hongjoong replied with a huff as he played with his fingerless gloves. Usually by now he would've engaged in conversation with the other Variants, because it wasn't everyday he got to see so many people _just like_ him gathered in one area, but he didn't want to be here right now.

"Okay. I'll give you 20,000 won if the whole thing lasts more than two hours," Yunho told him.

"30,000 won."

" _20,000_. I don't shit money, you know?"

It wasn't very often Yunho swore, so Hongjoong couldn't help but laugh. "Fine. I'll give you the same if everything ends in two hours."

Yunho's much larger hand shook his. "Deal."

Yeah, _sometimes_ Hongjoong did wish he was as tall as his brother, but then he remembered he _liked_ his small size as it allowed him to be nondescript, as well as to stay more hidden whenever he had missions. People tended to underestimate him because of his height, and there was nothing he enjoyed more than to see their shocked faces when they finally saw just how _insanely powerful_ he was.

And besides, Yunho was a _baby_.

A deep grating sound echoed through the atmosphere, drawing Hongjoong's attention to the gigantic main doors that were now opening up, reminding him quite frankly of a Mon's mouth. He'd been familiar with those same doors for a long time now, and they were in dire need of an intervention (or a prompt destruction). Either way, they were practically ancient and an eyesore to look at, and Hongjoong hated seeing them whenever he arrived here.

As soon as he and Yunho entered the Gathering, they spent about thirty minutes in the central hall sitting through a boring, monotonous speech about how they'd done the right thing by choosing to use their powers for good by ridding the dimensions of dangerous Mons. It was repetitive and predictable to Hongjoong by now, the boy tuning out the entire thing by the time the first five minutes had passed.

Next were the blood samples that needed to be taken from them in order to check their health and see if they hadn't been 'contaminated'. Hongjoong had no problem getting his blood drawn, but that couldn't be said for Yunho.

"Try not to look at the needle," Hongjoong advised the taller male as soon as it was his turn to go. The medical official for their group had already gotten his blood sample, and despite the dull sting in his arm he was fine overall. "It'll be over in a sec."

"I _know_ ," Yunho pouted, "but it makes me _nauseous_."

"I'll buy you those burgers you like after we're done, hm?" Hongjoong assured, Yunho nodding along. It was clear he was still nervous as fuck, but luckily he didn't have a breakdown over it like he'd done _countless_ of times when they'd both been new at this.

"A-Alright," Yunho replied, before heading into the room, the door closing after him.

Hongjoong had spent nearly half his life getting acquainted with this place. The Officials were the ones to take him, shelter him and give him a tangible reason to exist, but even with that a part of him still held a distrust for higher institutions like them. He'd always had ever since what happened, and it wasn't going to change anytime soon.

⛓️

  
"So...I've ran through all your records and I can see you've successfully completed all your missions." Steve -- one of the _very_ few Officials around here that was close in age with Hongjoong and Yunho -- said as he peered away from the wide computer screen. He ran a hand through his platinum blond hair, adjusting his framed glasses in the process. "And everything's been going well without any problems so far."

Hongjoong itched to leave already. He didn't like spending too much time here without Yunho by his side, and he knew the taller boy felt the same. "I guess so."

Steve smiled, his pale blue eyes crinkling. He was also one of the few young _Variant_ Officials around here. "How's it going with that Park guy?"

Hongjoong frowned, disliking the way Steve referred to Seonghwa. "He's Human, no doubt about it."

"We received intel that he can _see_ Mons."

"He isn't the only human able to, you know that. Can I leave now?" Hongjoong replied without missing a beat, pretending he didn't notice how Steve was watching him.

Steve sighed. "It's been a while since I've seen you, Hongjoong. We should talk."

Hongjoong narrowed his eyes, teeth gritted. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I _like_ you, Hongjoong. I've liked you for a long time now, yet you keep pushing me away," Steve told him, looking genuinely affected by the way Hongjoong kept staring at him. "I've known you since you first came here, and we were such close friends."

"We _are_ friends," Hongjoong corrected. "Nothing more."

Of course, Hongjoong remembered his first day at the insitution like it was yesterday. He and Yunho had been traumatised to bits, and being in an unfamiliar place only worsened the feeling. Steve, only being three years older than them at the time had swiftly befriended them both, and they were all good friends until Steve developed feelings that Hongjoong couldn't reciprocate.

"Come on," Steve said, "you even dated _Choi San_ at one point, and you both didn't even like each other that much at first. So what's stopping you from dating me?"

An image of Seonghwa lying on the rooftop, smiling and staring at him through his pretty doe eyes flashed inside Hongjoong's mind right then. His fists clenched. "It's forbidden for an Official to talk about these things with someone like me. And my twenty minutes with you are up."

Steve slowly nodded, backing off. "...Alright. See you."

Hongjoong left the familiar white office, finally feeling able to _breathe_ again. Seated at one corner of the expansive waiting room were Yunho and San, talking quietly about something.

"Hey Hongjoong," San greeted. Like Yunho, he wore a long coat and had on a beanie to complete the look. "Yikes. You look like you're about to _murder_ someone."

"We need to leave now," Hongjoong said, and Yunho immediately stood up.

"How many hours did we spend here?" Yunho asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Hongjoong huffed. "...Less than two hours."

Yunho grinned and humbly cheered, while San stared confusedly between the two of them.

"Look. I already said I'm treating you to burgers," Hongjoong explained, smiling a little bit when Yunho just ruffled his hair. The bad taste his meeting with Steve had left in his mouth disappeared with his brother's presence. He felt a little better now.

"I'm just kidding with you, Joongie," Yunho smiled. "There's no way I'll make you spend that much money on me."

"Did I miss something?" San questioned.

Hongjoong shrugged, walking off with the other two at his back. "Nothing much."

" _Fucking shit_ ," San suddenly cursed, wiggling his elongated right arm like it was a rubber band. "This _always_ happens when I get my blood drawn."

Yunho laughed. "Glad nothing like _that_ happens to me. Hey, is Seong -- _are_ Seonghwa and Mingi okay now?"

At the mention of Seonghwa, Hongjoong slightly paused, pulse racing. Luckily, Yunho and San didn't notice anything.

San held a thumbs up. "Mingi called me earlier and said he's happy."

Hongjoong should've been glad. He'd known just _how much_ Seonghwa had worried over his and Mingi's friendship, even to the point of overthinking every little thing. But he _wasn't_ glad.

No, his mood just plummeted, and he didn't even know the exact reason why.

⛓️

  
Seonghwa didn't know where he was, but then again his dreams hadn't been making much sense lately.

He was wearing dark boots that dug into pale white snow. Snowflakes of all shapes and sizes swirled every-which way, lightly grazing his clothed limbs and snuggling on top his dark hair. Trees with bare branches littered the area, and the air was cold. Freezing.

Shivers descended down his spine as he took a step forward, and then another step. Right in front of him stood a lengthy gate so tall it seemed to reach the cloudy heavens.

But that wasn't what caught his attention.

Beside him with a detached look on his face was Hongjoong. He had on a pristine gold and purple coat that snugly hugged his smaller form, his black gloved hands pushing apart the rusted iron gate like it was cardboard.

 _Hongjoong..._ Seonghwa opened his mouth to say, but nothing came out. His tongue felt a thousand times heavier, unable to articulate any words that could alert the shorter boy of his presence.

Hongjoong walked past him like he wasn't even there and entered through the gates, his expression still unreadable.

Seonghwa fell into step behind him out of his own free will. He still had _no idea_ why Hongjoong was there or if what he was witnessing was real or not, but he wanted to find out.

Hongjoong continued to walk towards the sizeable building in the distance, his attire making him appear nothing less than majestic.

Several times, Seonghwa had tried to make his presence known, but all to no avail. Hongjoong couldn't _see_ him nor was aware that he was there, which only meant that Seonghwa was most likely dreaming.

 _He was dreaming about Hongjoong_.

Hongjoong stopped before the building, the place ruined with broken exteriors, chipped wood and stained windows. Seonghwa had never seen this building before, but he guessed that maybe this wasn't real as well. After all, he was only dreaming. Nothing here actually existed except for him and Hongjoong.

The shorter boy slowly knelt on the ground, snowflakes still tumbling all around them. He planted his palms on the snow, jaws clenched and eyes suddenly sparking with turbulent rage.

Shock submerged every single one of Seonghwa's senses as ice broke through Hongjoong's hands and violently crystallized the snow, scattering and increasing at a scarily rapid pace. The ice punctured _everywhere_ Seonghwa looked, spreading apart like a thin, glassy web of death.

He swore he couldn't breathe when the sharp ice rose and broke through the already sorry state of the building, promptly _ripping_ it in two.

But that wasn't enough as Hongjoong then slammed his fist on the ice, causing some kind of ripple to break through the surface. The sound it made was _booming_. The air surrounding Hongjoong and Seonghwa tightened and collided, forming a huge tornado that sucked the rest of the building in and made the ground tremble and cry out.

 _What the hell was happening??_ Seonghwa thought, trying to block his ears as more destruction commenced. His eyes fell on Hongjoong who still knelt on the snow, and before he could think twice about it he rushed towards him, using his utmost strength to push through all the noise and the _chaos_.

" _Hongjoong_!" He yelled, but the smaller boy didn't respond. Not even when blinding streaks of lightning broke through the skies, rain quickly dousing them from head to toe.

Seonghwa continued yelling Hongjoong's name, but nothing was changing. Hongjoong's eyes remained on where the building had previously stood, wicked flames dancing brightly inside them.

As soon as Hongjoong was within arm's reach, Seonghwa pulled him close from behind. The shorter's body went lax in his arms like he'd given up, but his eyes kept glaring at the space in front of them. Puddles formed next to their bodies, but Seonghwa didn't once let Hongjoong go, hoping with all his might that everything would go back to normal.

The tears in Hongjoong's eyes and his whimpers mixed with the steady downpour, his heartbeat so deafening that it became all Seonghwa could hear.

"Please... please calm down. Everything's okay," Seonghwa assured with every shallow inhale. Shivers racked through his frame, and Hongjoong's deathly cold body didn't make things any better. The latter's eyes still burned and stared ahead of them, even when Seonghwa reached out and timidly wiped away the stubborn drops of rain that clung to his curved eyelashes.

As the rabid tornado gradually cleared off, an old sign board was all that was left of the building. Its surface was weathered, pieces of it splintered about, but Seonghwa could still read the nearly faded words carved into it.

 _Sunrise Orphanage_.


	21. phobia

  
Hongjoong made sure his and Seonghwa's paths didn't cross at all the next day. And yes, it _was_ intentional, and yes, he wasn't in the exact mood to see him or _anyone_ at school for that matter.

Fortunately, they had few classes together every Tuesday, and Hongjoong spent the entirety of Chemistry not talking to Seonghwa and avoiding his continuous stares. For a while his actions amused the shorter boy, because Seonghwa often liked making it known that he 'wasn't into guys', yet Hongjoong couldn't even count the amount of times he'd caught him staring.

Hongjoong's nightmare the other night had left him in a much too sour mood to interact with other students today, and no matter how much a huge part of him itched to spend time with Seonghwa (aka annoy him), he knew deep down that the taller would rather Mingi over him. After all, the guy was his best friend, and Seonghwa had only gotten to know Hongjoong for a short period of time. _Nothing_ could beat that.

So for the remainder of his classes, Hongjoong impatiently sat through them and waited for the day to be over already so he could go home and hide away from the world until whenever he wanted.

⛓️

Seonghwa was starting to get _really_ bothered by Hongjoong's actions towards him again. The shorter made a beeline out the door as soon as any class they'd shared ended, and whenever their eyes met Hongjoong would quickly head in the opposite direction as if he just couldn't _stand_ the sight of him for more than one second.

It gave him a _horrible_ sense of deja vu, and it never failed to distract him which occasionally landed him in hot water with his teachers, as well as gain him numerous worried glances from Mingi since he wasn't acting like himself.

  
Of course, whenever Mingi asked him what was wrong Seonghwa would only reply that he was okay, appreciating the fact that his friend wouldn't question him further even when it was clear he still had his doubts. The last thing Seonghwa wanted was to cause any kind of rift between them when they'd just gotten everything back to normal.

To make matters worse, he couldn't stop thinking about that dream he had last night about Hongjoong and what he'd done to that building called Sunrise Orphanage. Why did that place appear in Seonghwa's dream when he'd never seen it before in his life? And why did Hongjoong destroy it so mercilessly?

Seonghwa tried to convince himself that nothing was going on. He'd just had a weird dream that made no sense, and all he should be focusing on right now was maintaining his grades so he could get into a good college after graduating highschool. He shouldn't allow anyone to get in the way of that, even when they happened to be a certain half-human boy with spellbinding laughter and eyes that were so uncommon yet held so much warmth in the moments Seonghwa had least expected them.

But, no matter how many times Seonghwa repeated this to himself, he still couldn't stop thinking about Hongjoong, and it drove him nuts. No matter the many, _many_ times the shorter teen teased him or made him mad, Seonghwa still _missed_ his company even when he didn't want to admit it to himself.

 _He missed Hongjoong_ , and just like the last time when Hongjoong pulled this dumb disappearing stunt on him, it affected him greatly. Seonghwa didn't like it at all.

"Listen to this mashup I made. _Promise_ it's mixed better than the last one," Mingi was excitedly saying to both him and San the next day during lunch. The tallest of the trio had brought his bag along and had already pulled out his laptop, ecstatic to show San and Seonghwa the latest song mashup he'd created.

San was the first to react, the computer and bluetooth headphones on his lap and his gaze trained on the screen. "I hope you made another one with that group again. _ATEEZ_ , was it? They fucking _rock_."

"Yeah, I did," Mingi grinned, chuckling when San gave him a hasty high-five.

Seonghwa wasn't one to care much about music and stuff pertaining to it, but he was naturally interested in whatever his best friend made because he could tell Mingi'd found his passion and _loved_ what he was doing -- something Seonghwa had always struggled with. So he peered over San's shoulder, ready to listen to the mashup when his eyes spotted Hongjoong further ahead rushing into the school premises. His heartbeat _instantly_ sped up for reasons unknown, and before he knew it every part of him ached to talk to the younger for once and let him know how everything had went down with him and Mingi.

Seonghwa had a guess Hongjoong'd probably gone to the library, and although it made him sound like a complete jerk, he found himself restlessly counting down the seconds until he could go meet up with the shorter.

"How was it?" Mingi asked, watching Seonghwa the most. "Wait -- don't tell me. I already know you both thought it was the _coolest fucking thing ever_."

"Don't get all cocky, dude," San commented. "But it was nice."

Seonghwa braved another glance where Hongjoong had entered into. "I really like it." _Yes_ , he truly did. He liked whatever Mingi produced because they always sounded _amazing_ , but all he could think about at that moment was finally confronting Hongjoong about why he was suddenly so adamant on ignoring him for the second time in a row.

Mingi playfully nudged him with his elbow, his smile soft. "You always say that."

"That's because it's true," Seonghwa replied as genuinely as he could. Then, he got up to his feet, earning both Mingi's and San's attention.

"Bathroom again?" That was San, and Seonghwa didn't even have to look at him to know that he _knew_ exactly what was going on.

Seonghwa cleared his throat, rubbing his neck. "Yup. But don't wait up for me, guys."

"Is everything okay?" Mingi asked.

"Yeah," Seonghwa shrugged, trying his hardest to appear super casual. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Mingi was looking at him like _that_ again. Like he didn't quite believe his words, but wouldn't risk prying and asking anymore questions. At that point in time, Seonghwa didn't know whether he actually liked it or not. "...Alright. Later."

Soon after, Seonghwa hurried off in search of Hongjoong, steps hurried and his pulse racing. He ran up a bunch of stairs, double-checking the time on his phone to make sure the bell wasn't gonna ring anytime soon.

In less than a minute he came across the school library, entering the place without giving it much of a thought.

Hongjoong was there.

Seated at the back, like always, with a pair of glasses on this time, and instead of his phone he had an open book perched between his painted pink nails, a look of extreme disinterest plastered all over his face.

Seonghwa suddenly didn't know what to do next. It was like his legs were now stuck to the floors, and all he could do was keep staring.

Hongjoong saw him, and for a second Seonghwa wondered if he'd grab his things and try to leave the library as quick as he could, or even more likely, just _vanish_ into thin air like Seonghwa had seen him do multiple times.

Hongjoong didn't do any of that, though. He just sat and continued watching Seonghwa with those glowering eyes of his, his facial expression betraying nothing. He wore a large fuschia pink sweater with sleeves extending all the way to his palms, and his cheeks had sort of this faint blush on them that... _shouldn't_ have looked this pretty.

Seonghwa cleared his mind of that thought and promptly shortened the space between them, pulling out a free chair to sit on. Hongjoong continued to look at him, and he'd be lying out of his ass if he said it didn't make him a little intimidated. "... _So_..."

"Why are you here?" Hongjoong asked without any hesitation on his part. The book he'd been reading -- some fantasy type story with a title Seonghwa didn't even _bother_ trying to make sense of -- was still open in his hands, almost like he wasn't planning on giving Seonghwa his full attention this time around.

It gave the taller this annoying, constricted feeling in his chest that felt quite similar to being sucker-punched in the gut, but it wasn't like Seonghwa could admit that out loud.

He also couldn't the conversation with: _Hey, so I somehow saw you in my dreams destroying this orphanage or whatever -- promise I'm not a creep or anything_!

Because of this, Seonghwa opted to clear his throat and bring up the _actual_ elephant in the room. "Stop ignoring me."

Hongjoong scoffed. He _actually_ scoffed. "Ignore you? Why would you think that?"

"Because you did the same thing last week!" Seonghwa nearly _yelled_ , before remembering he was in the library, and he and Hongjoong weren't the only ones around either. He inhaled a deep breath. "Whenever you see me, you turn the other way. Whenever I just want to fucking _talk_ to you, you find a way to make yourself a _million_ times harder to find. Are you pissed at me?"

Hongjoong shook his head. "...No."

"Then why are you treating me like this? Do you hate me? Is that it?" Seonghwa questioned, his tone revealing just how perturbed and _troubled_ he actually felt regarding this whole issue. And he despised it. Despised Hongjoong for making him feel like this.

Hongjoong snapped his book shut, the intensity of his yellowish eyes setting fire to the warmth that suddenly buzzed underneath Seonghwa's skin.

"I don't hate you," he lowly admitted, bringing calm to the flurry of thoughts storming Seonghwa's mind. "I don't hate people that easily."

"Then why..." Seonghwa trailed off when Hongjoong slid something over the table they shared, his eyes widening with recognition. It was the paper containing the questions he'd wanted Hongjoong to answer. That time honestly felt like _forever_ ago.

"I've answered every question on here," Hongjoong stated. "There's no need to talk to me anymore."

Seonghwa shook his head, feeling nothing but disbelief and _fear_ at the shorter's words. "No. You...you haven't answered everything yet."

"I can fly because I can teleport. That it?" Hongjoong answered, picking up his book again.

Seonghwa didn't know how to respond. But he knew he definitely didn't like the thought of him not talking to Hongjoong anymore, despite how stupid it sounded. "No."

"We've hung out enough. You only wanted to satisfy your curiosity, and you finally did," Hongjoong told him. "You have your life, and I have mine. There's nothing else we share in common."

Seonghwa's jaw clenched, heart squeezing uncomfortably. "...You said you wanted to be _friends_."

Hongjoong didn't miss a beat. "And we _were_. We spent time together, and we talked. But that's all it's ever going to be. Besides, I'd been tasked to find out stuff about you, and now that I have, we should just stop this."

Every word Hongjoong uttered tattooed itself into Seonghwa's brain, repeating over and over and over again until he could no longer think of anything else. The shorter just revealed his reasons for befriending him weren't exactly innocent either, and Seonghwa could say nothing about it since they'd had similarly selfish goals in the beginning.

_But now..._

Seonghwa searched his jeans pocket and pulled out a pair of earrings. One of the two pairs Hongjoong had gotten for him at the last dimension they'd been to.

"I... I still haven't gotten my ears pierced yet," he muttered, glancing Hongjoong's way. The smaller boy was still staring, which Seonghwa considered as a good sign. "And...I still haven't taken up on your offer to get my nails painted with you."

Hongjoong scoffed again, but this time, there was a certain pleasant ring to it. "...I know you don't want that. You're just trying to soften me up, but it's not gonna work."

Seonghwa slapped his chest to try and display his sincerity a bit more. "No. Seriously. I _want_ this. I'd like to get my ears pierced and my nails painted by you and you alone."

"Stop being fucking weird, weirdo," Hongjoong said. "And don't force yourself to do anything you don't want to in life, it isn't worth it."

"I _mean it_ , Hongjoong. I really do. I'm being serious."

"I don't believe you."

"Then what should I do to make you believe me?" Seonghwa asked, praying with his whole being that Hongjoong wouldn't get any outrageous ideas.

Hongjoong patted his chin, his curved lips forming a little pout. "Oh -- I know. Stop being friends with me."

Seonghwa's hand glided over the table and held Hongjoong's wrist, effectively catching the shorter male off-guard. Just like Seonghwa had expected, Hongjoong's skin felt cold to the touch, his fingers almost hidden by those long sweater sleeves of his.

"I don't want to stop being friends with you," Seonghwa said.

"We don't share anything in common."

Seonghwa strove to maintain uninterrupted eye contact with Hongjoong, and to his surprise, the shorter was the one to break it first. "Then let me be the judge of that."

"The hell do you mean?"

"We hang out some more. I see more of what you do, and if I complain or show the slightest bit of discomfort, you're free to -- " Seonghwa formed an 'X' sign with his arms, "cancel our relationship."

Hongjoong smiled like he still couldn't figure out if Seonghwa was kidding or not. "You're such a dork."

Seonghwa returned the smile, flashing his teeth in the process. He made another 'X' sign. "Wrong answer."

"Fine. Whatever."

"Wrong an -- "

Hongjoong jabbed him in the rib with his finger. "Shut the fuck up."

Seonghwa chuckled, about to add something else when someone new entered the library; someone he knew very, _very_ well.

His smile fell once he saw _Mingi_ there, and what followed _had_ to be the most awkward sequence of events Seonghwa had ever experienced in his entire life.

Mingi came up to them, expression calm which oddly made Seonghwa all the more anxious.

"Hongjoong, hi," Mingi said, ushering a stiff wave.

"Hey Mingi." Hongjoong coolly sank against his chair, this subtle but _real_ tension electrifying the air.

"Honestly, I had a feeling you'd be in the library," Mingi told Seonghwa while placing a hand on his back. This was usual. Seonghwa knew all about how his friend loved physical affection and gave it out to anyone he felt comfortable enough with, but at that moment Seonghwa wanted nothing more than for him to _not_ do that, especially not with Hongjoong's eyes on them like that.

Seonghwa nervously laughed, hoping his discomfort wasn't as obvious. "Uhm, _yeah_."

"We were just talking," Hongjoong added with a grin. "Is that okay?"

Mingi slightly cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing a little. "What do you mean by that?"

Alarmed, Seonghwa opened his mouth to say something, only for Hongjoong to cut him off.

"You guys are best friends. Are you okay with him hanging out with another guy?"

Seonghwa couldn't freaking believe what he was hearing. " _Hongjoong_ \-- "

"Of course I am," Mingi frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"We should really leave now," Seonghwa told Mingi, gaining the taller's attention. "The bell rings in five minutes."

The tension in the atmosphere eased up a little, but Mingi still looked highly bothered by Hongjoong's question.

Seonghwa stood up to his feet. ' _Not. Cool_ ', he mouthed once Hongjoong watched him. The shorter boy just rolled his eyes, which frustrated him more.

" _Mingi_ ," Seonghwa tried again, tugging on his friend's arm to get him to move. He succeeded, but as soon as they left the library and descended down the stairs, Mingi stepped away. His heart dropped.

"Why didn't you tell me you were meeting with Hongjoong instead of _lying_ to me?" Mingi asked, dropping all forms of cordiality. "Did you think I'd get mad at you or something?"

Seonghwa's hands curled into tight fists. "I'm sorry. I should've told you everything. Please don't get angry at me."

Mingi's lips formed a line, his eyes softening. "I'm not angry at you, Hwa. I could _never_ get angry at you, I promise. I just want you to be more honest with me, is that alright?"

Mingi stared expectantly at him, which shoved Seonghwa further into the quicksand of guilt he'd naively built for himself.

 _I don't want to lose you. Ever_. Mingi's tearful words of the past resurfaced in Seonghwa's mind, and he inhaled a shaky breath.

"...Hongjoong and I have been hanging out. _A lot_ , actually," he confessed. "He's a nice guy and I really enjoy his company. He's the one who I left that party on Saturday for, and he's also the one who made that lunchbox we'd eaten at work."

"Oh." Mingi gulped. "Okay."

"We argue and squabble around a lot, but I'm convinced we're friends now. He can be weird at times, and oftentimes dresses like it's his last day on Earth, but he can be... _funny_? Yeah, he makes me laugh," Seonghwa continued, smiling a bit to himself. "He's interesting and I _think_ he has a liking for music as well, which is something you both have in common -- "

"Okay, okay. You guys are good buds now," Mingi said, his laugh coming out so _forced_ it was painful to hear.

"Jealous?" Seonghwa joked, only for his next words to die in his throat when he saw the brooding, wistful look in his friend's eyes. "...Is everything okay?"

Mingi smiled. "Duh. Why wouldn't it be?"

His answer was the same as Seonghwa's had been below that oak tree, which evoked this sense of unhappiness within him. He suddenly couldn't shake the feeling that Mingi was lying to him. "Mingi..."

The bell rang, and the taller of the two adjusted his yellow hoodie. The colour reminded Seonghwa of Hongjoong's eyes.

"We should go get ready for p.e, hm?" Mingi told him. "Coach Kim already hates latecomers."

Mingi acted okay enough, so there was no point in worrying, right?


	22. cold

_mild_ _description_ _of panic attack_

⛓️

  
Seonghwa's hand clenched around his fork, unable to take another bite out of his salad. All around him people softly talked and laughed with each other, and it only made the eighteen-year-old much more aware of this certain situation he found himself in that Friday evening.

His father sat across from him in JH diner, currently scarfing down a burger like it was his first time eating in _ages_. What made it worse was that the man _hated_ burgers, and the only reason he'd ordered one was because his mother used to almost always get burgers whenever they were available on the menu.

Seonghwa looked away when their eyes met, sliding a small piece of lettuce into his mouth.

"Seriously, the fries and the burger combo is _so good_ ," his father spoke up. "We both know I usually never go for junk food on a work night, but I just had this craving for it."

Seonghwa only nodded, but couldn't help this dark, ominous feeling that overtook him once he saw the way his father dipped his fries into some ketchup. The feeling intensified when he saw the man visibly grimace whilst taking yet another huge bite out of his burger, seeping further and further into his bloodstream and clogging up his throat until he felt like he couldn't _breathe_.

He dropped his cutlery.

His father continued to eat and eat, face curled into discomfort with every bite he took.

Seonghwa clenched his fists under the table, his prolonged silence earning the attention of his dad.

"Seonghwa, why aren't you eating anything?" The man asked. "Is the food not good? I mean, we used to come here all the time when you were younger." He paused, eyes gleaming over with nostalgia. "Your mom used to _love_ this place a lot -- "

That darkness inside Seonghwa transformed into cold-blooded fury. "I can't -- I can't do this."

His father's smile slowly fell, reality dimming the light in his eyes. "...Seonghwa..."

The blue plaid Seonghwa wore tonight suddenly felt a thousand times tighter than ever. The hazy peachy lights appeared as bright as fire in front of his eye sockets, rapidly increasing the headache building up inside his brain.

A stupid part of him had opted to at least take his time to dress up for tonight, because _maybe_ that would've changed things. _Maybe_ he would've had fun tonight, or even have a normal conversation with his dad without something fucking it up for once.

But of course not.

"You're doing it again," Seonghwa said, detesting how _heavy_ his voice sounded. He inhaled a breath. "You said...you said you wanted tonight to be all about _us two_ , yet here you are, buying every single thing mom used to eat here. You fucking _hate_ burgers and ketchup for Christ's sake. So why?"

Mr Park looked guilty, his reddened eyes welling up with unshed tears. The sight reminded Seonghwa of the past he'd sworn to always shove into the depths of his mind, and as a result the lump in his throat grew.

"I'm sorry." The man grabbed and chugged down his grape soda, the same type his mother used to order when she was alive. "I'm so sorry, son. But -- but I can't..." He took another sip, his lower lip trembling. "I can't _do_ this w-without her..."

Seonghwa felt like every single breath he'd had left abandoned him at that moment. His head rang, poignant memories of the life he'd used to have shifting through his head at the speed of light. He wanted to _scream_ , to get those images all out of his head.

His palms shook, itching to grab onto something, itching to steady himself and not feel as if entire world was shattering right before his very eyes. He was _freaking out_.

"It's been seven years, dad," he breathed, his voice barely audible and so, so cold. Despite the sorrowful look in his father's eyes he continued to speak, because seeing the man he'd used to look up to and admire in this state made him feel nothing but helplessness, one that he no longer wanted to experience again in his life. "Almost a decade... You can't keep doing this."

"I miss her," his father said.

 _Well I miss her too. We both do. But I don't fucking mope around and cry about it_ , Seonghwa wanted to say, but he knew that his words wouldn't have solved anything. There was nothing he could do to pull his father out of his downward spiral, and that reality was something he'd quickly grown to adapt to.

"I wish Yiyeon was here," his father said almost to himself, staring into the distance. It was like Seonghwa no linger existed whenever his mother was brought up. "She would've brightened up everywhere with her laughter. She was just so _good_ at making others happy, and her beautiful smile was one of the many things I loved about her..."

Seonghwa couldn't take it anymore. He quickly moved off his chair, his father's eyes reflecting alarm.

"W-Where are you going?" Mr Park asked.

Seonghwa felt _suffocated_. "Out." He avoided the man's stare, as well as the select few people that'd turned to watch him. He didn't care what they thought, didn't care what _anyone_ thought. "Don't wait for me."

"Son, I -- "

Seonghwa rushed out of the diner, lungs aching for fresh air. Standing outside, he leant against a wall and took some time to calm himself down and settle his rigorous heartbeat.

The moon was fully round tonight, shining in all its glory and putting the surrounding stars to shame, but the dark haired male couldn't find it in him to appreciate the sight.

Seonghwa's head hurt, his skin far too heated even with the breezy Autumn winds. His legs felt seconds away from collapsing totally. He started walking wherever caught his attention first, trying to fight off the nausea that'd wrung itself around his stomach.

The city lights shone all around Seonghwa, blurring into a mess of indistinguishable colours the more distance he covered. He felt nearly invisible with the amount of people walking side by side next to him, and he loved it. It'd be so easy for him to blend into serene nothingness right then and there, never having to worry about trivial matters ever again.

Maybe then he'd finally be free.

The hairs on the back of Seonghwa's neck suddenly stood up, causing his footsteps to falter slightly. His heart rate accelerated, and then he was walking even quicker than before, because something was out there. Something was _following_ after him, swiftly coasting through the crowds just to get closer and closer to where he was.

Seonghwa pushed his hands into his pockets, trying to make himself as small as he possibly could. Dread guided his every step, his thoughts racing at the same pace as his heart.

Chills crept up his spine when that recognizable feeling of being watched only worsened, and _fuck_ , it made him afraid.

Goosebumps scattered over Seonghwa's arms as fumbled for his phone, about to switch it on and call _someone_ when a hand suddenly grabbed him, causing him to nearly _leap_ out of his skin.

"Shit. Slow down, will you?" Hongjoong's voice edged its way into Seonghwa's brain, the taller's breath coming out in harsh pants.

Hongjoong's amused features dropped upon seeing Seonghwa's face. "...Hey, you okay?"

Seonghwa took a step back, narrowly bumping into some guy. He didn't even think to apologize, too busy trying to get his crazy heartbeat under control. Fuck, he didn't know what was happening. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was --

Hongjoong stepped in and pulled him into an alleyway, Seonghwa's mind in too much of a rush to stop him or do anything about it. "Hey...Hwa. It's okay, _you're_ okay. I'm here. You're safe."

It was the shorter's first time calling him by that nickname, and normally Seonghwa would've opposed to it since only certain people could call him that, he.. _.didn't_ say anything about it. Hongjoong's voice was close and soft, comforting him in all the right places.

His hands were also on Seonghwa, his touch feathery light and his fingers steadily patting down his hair. And Seonghwa didn't reject it, in fact he liked it. Hongjoong's hug made him feel a bit more secure. _Grounded_.

"I..." Seonghwa shut his eyes, Hongjoong's hand still stroking his locks. "I thought I was being followed."

"I saw you and decided to have a chat," Hongjoong replied, his tone hushed. He slowly rocked them side to side. "My bad."

Seonghwa breathed in the younger's soft scent, imagining himself over a cozy bed of flowers and a comforting beam of sunlight shining on him. His rapid heartbeat began to slow down.

"...Should I take you home?" Hongjoong asked. His voice had never sounded more sweet than it was at that moment. Seonghwa almost felt like he was being coddled, but he strangely didn't mind it.

"Not yet..." Seonghwa's arms awkwardly hung at his sides, but he couldn't do anything about them since he felt he and Hongjoong weren't close enough yet to touch each other like that.

Hongjoong looked up then, his piercing eyes boring into Seonghwa's. He didn't have any makeup on tonight, but his face was still smooth, still pretty. "Want me to take you to my house?"

Their prolonged eye contact made Seonghwa's neck burn, so he sort of looked to the side, hoping his actions didn't appear too weird. "Aren't your parents home?"

Hongjoong grinned, his eyes just seeming to _know_ the taller had already agreed without even saying yes. "I don't have parents."

A second later, he had Seonghwa in his arms, teleporting into thin air.

The whole process was quick and gave Seonghwa deja vu when he remembered the last time Hongjoong had carried him and brought him to his house.

 _I don't have parents_. These words lingered at the back of his mind once Hongjoong's house appeared in his peripheral view. And to be honest, he shouldn't have been surprised, especially considering the fact that he'd never seen the other's parents before. He couldn't help but wonder if Yunho was actually his biological brother or not.

The dream he'd had about Hongjoong destroying that orphanage resurfaced in Seonghwa's head again. _No, it was just a dream. There's no way what you saw was actually real_.

Hongjoong settled Seonghwa on his feet before unlocking the door to his house. It was then the taller boy noticed the long-sleeved lavender top he had on, the fabric stopping just a couple centimeters above the waistband of his ripped blue jeans.

Heat swelled in the apples of Seonghwa's cheeks. Hongjoong was basically wearing a _crop-top_.

The door opened, and then Hongjoong faced him. "Sorry if the house looks haunted or whatnot. Yunho's hanging out with one of his buds in another dimension, and I hadn't planned on bringing anyone over tonight."

Seonghwa swallowed hard, but then he started coughing. He turned to the side as if that would somehow lessen his embarrassment. "...It's fine."

Hongjoong looked thoroughly amused. "Well," he gestured into the house, "come on in, I guess."

"Oh -- right." Seonghwa entered, his heart thumbing vivaciously inside his chest. It became even _louder_ the second Hongjoong locked the door behind them, encircling their bodies in darkness.

Hongjoong skipped to the kitchen and switched on the light, which relaxed Seonghwa somewhat. "You feeling for something?"

Seonghwa's eyes fell on Hongjoong's form again, but quickly learnt to regret that as the shorter was currently pulling out a box of cereal, his crop-top revealing the smooth muscles of his stomach. He nearly choked on his breath, because in addition to wearing a crop-top, he apparently had a freaking _bellybutton piercing_ as well.

Hongjoong came up to him, placing the cereal box -- as well as two bowls -- on the dinner table. Seonghwa felt his entire body stiffen.

"I..." He avoided Hongjoong's gaze. "I already ate."

Hongjoong laughed, the melodic sound doing _something_ to Seonghwa's tummy. "Well, more for me then."

Seonghwa shrugged and sat down, making sure his eyes never lingered on the shorter's outfit for more than a second. He played with his fingers, his intrusive thoughts storming in once more.

Hongjoong noticed. Of course he did. He balanced on the chair closest to him, dumping some Oreo O's into a bowl. "If you want, you can tell me what happened earlier. But if you don't wanna, it's fine."

"No," answered Seonghwa. "I... It's dumb, really."

He watched as Hongjoong casually took a spoon of cereal, his actions eliciting this sense of normalcy that comforted the taller and let him know that his world wasn't falling apart. Yes, Hongjoong was _there_ , and he was eating. He was _fine_ , so that meant Seonghwa _also_ was. They were both okay, so Seonghwa didn't need to worry about anything anymore.

"It's not dumb," Hongjoong countered. "Nothing you feel is. Everything is valid."

Seonghwa smiled, but it quickly disappeared as soon as he remembered the events that'd played out tonight. "I went out with my dad tonight." He sighed. "I mean, I _thought_ he took me out because he wanted to at least talk to me about whatever, really. I even got all presentable and hell, I kind of _looked_ forward to it. But then he brought me to the diner he and mom had often visited when she was still alive under the pretence that he was just doing it for nostalgia's sake."

Hongjoong stayed silent, his eyes attentive as he closely listened to everything Seonghwa had to say.

"And then he started ordering everything she liked even when he hated some of the stuff," Seonghwa continued, his jaw clenched. "It was when I realized he never took me there to talk about _us_ for once. No, he came there to cry and wallow in his sadness while talking about my mother who's been dead for _seven years_. God, I felt like a fucking idiot for ever agreeing to go out with him."

"I think your dad _did_ want to spend some time with you," Hongjoong said, already done with his cereal. "But maybe...maybe he got caught up in his emotions after being surrounded by things that reminded him of your mother."

"Then why? Why did he bring us there if he was going to be like that?" Seonghwa couldn't help but question Hongjoong despite the fact that the other boy clearly wouldn't have the answers to everything. He just needed some kind of confirmation, some kind of assurance.

"...Sometimes we can't stop ourselves from seeking out what we miss the most," Hongjoong replied. He wasn't eating any more cereal, Seonghwa realized. Instead, he grew all quiet and contemplative.

Seonghwa wondered if his thoughts centered around that orphanage he'd witnessed getting destroyed in his dreams. _Again, it's only a dream. A figment of your imagination_.

But it'd felt so _real_.

Seonghwa's eyes landed on Hongjoong's nails, which were still as pink as they'd been from Wednesday. A very, _very_ foolish idea waltzed into his head right then. But anything to get his mind off tonight would work, right?

"I have an idea," he spoke, alerting Hongjoong. "But, don't make fun of me for it."

⛓️

  
In front of Seonghwa and Hongjoong on the nightstand was an assortment of nail polish and glitter with every colour imaginable, and the taller began to feel a pinch of regret.

"No take-backs," Hongjoong told him. They were both on his bed, their legs crossed and knees brushing. His body literally _vibrated_ with glee, looking through the nail polish bottles for the best one.

Seonghwa just felt a bit overwhelmed.

"Your birthday's April third, right?" Hongjoong said.

"I would ask how you knew that, but then again you admitted you'd been tasked to study me."

Hongjoong giggled, far too upbeat. "Bingo. Hey, you're an Aries. Think we should go for red?"

"Wow, how stereotypical," Seonghwa uttered, but Hongjoong just laughed. The shorter was being oddly bubbly again, smiling ear-to-ear. And hell, it _shouldn't_ have affected Seonghwa as much as it did.

"Red is -- " his breath hitched once his and Hongjoong's eyes locked. "Red is okay."

Hongjoong grabbed _two_ bottles, one a darker red than the other. "You trust me, right?"

Seonghwa laughed nervously. "Uh... _yeah_?"

Hongjoong smiled again, and that fuzzy type of warmth erupted in Seonghwa's chest. The shorter teen held up a hand, catching Seonghwa off-guard a little.

"I want a high-five for good luck," Hongjoong said.

" _Oh_." Seonghwa high-fived him, noticing the size difference of their palms. That warmth bubbled further, close to suffocating him. He inhaled deeply. "Good luck, then."

Hongjoong slowly intertwined their fingers, that showstopping smile still displayed across his features. Only now it was gentler, more sincere. "Thank you, Seonggie."

Seonghwa quickly nodded, clearing his throat. "It's -- it's okay."

  
Hongjoong started working on his nails.

At first, Seonghwa felt rather self-conscious of his hands especially with how observant Hongjoong was of them, but then that feeling eased when the shorter complimented him on how ' _modelesque_ ' they looked as if he could read his mind. Seonghwa had cringed at the term, but at least it made him feel much better than before.

Surprisingly, red looked... _nice_ on him. The crimson colour faded into a sleek cherry on each nail, working exceedingly well with the little bits of gold glitter Hongjoong had sprinkled here and there. The shorter had even stuck a small and simple butterfly decoration on both his thumbnails, which made his fingers a lot _prettier_.

"As you've probably noticed," Hongjoong finished off the last nail with as much care as he could muster, "I paint my nails a lot."

Seonghwa chuckled. "Yeah, you do."

Hongjoong chuckled as well. "It's one of my favourite things to do - even more than ridding Mons of their existence. It...calms me down is basically what I'm getting at. I get to choose how my nails will look like, as well as the overall design and the details. The results are endless."

Seonghwa, as much as he hadn't expected it, had to agree with Hongjoong on this one. As the boy painted his nails, an indescribable serenity had surrounded them. It seemed like time had slowed down completely, nothing but Hongjoong's steady breaths and the delicate piano medley playing from his phone on his mind.

Hongjoong still held Seonghwa's hands cautiously in his, like they were the most treasured things in the universe. "Let's play 20 questions."

Seonghwa raised his eyebrows. "Just like that?"

Hongjoong smiled, subtly squeezing the taller's palm. His canines made him appear devilish -- wait, no. A _sweet_ devil.

"Yes, just like that." Hongjoong remarked. "And it requires one hundred percent honesty from both sides. I'm going first."

Seonghwa nodded, liking the way the shorter boy caressed his knuckles. "...Okay."

"Alright," Hongjoong cleared his throat. "A few moments ago when you kept staring at me, kept looking into my eyes...what were you thinking?"

Seonghwa's eyes widened. "Don't say it like that. I wasn't... _staring_ into your eyes, what?"

"You _were_ , though." Hongjoong shifted even _closer_. "C'mon, tell Hongjoong what's up."

"Just -- stop. Don't refer to yourself in third person."

"I like it though."

"No."

"Alright, alright." Hongjoong rolled his eyes. "So... What do you have to say for yourself, huh?"

Seonghwa inhaled a huge breath. "Your smile."

For once, Hongjoong's smirk fell off. "My...smile."

"I thought that..." Seonghwa chewed his lip, not believing he was really about to say this, "that it made you look like a sweet devil."

Hongjoong's face at that moment was _priceless_. He laughed out loud, but his hold on Seonghwa's drying fingernails never wavered. "Okay -- _that's_ new. But... I like it. Sweet Devil Hongjoong; _nice_."

Seonghwa pushed down his embarrassment. He'd already admitted what he thought, so now there was nothing he could do but own up to it. "Shut up. It's my turn now."

Hongjoong still looked like he was contemplating it though. "Sure. Hit me."

"Do you really think I'm boring?"

The shorter definitely did not anticipate that, guessing by the way he blinked. He composed himself quite quickly however. "No, you're not boring. I'd been kidding that time."

 _Then why'd you say it?_ Seonghwa nearly asked, but he couldn't break the game's rules.

"Did I hurt you?"

Seonghwa's pulse raced as a result of Hongjoong's soft-spoken words and the tender way he kept staring at him. "N-No."

Hongjoong nodded. "Alright. But if I did, I'm sorry. I wasn't in the best of moods at that time, and you ended up being my target."

"It's okay. No need to apologize." Seonghwa felt a little awkward. He wasn't used to the shorter being so apologetic, being so _considerate_ with him. It brought back those dreaded feelings that he couldn't get rid of no matter how hard he tried.

"I asked a question, so it's _your_ turn again," Hongjoong stated.

"You said you don't have parents. So, why did you lie at first about having them?"

"I want to pass."

"No." Seonghwa smiled as soon as he caught Hongjoong's mini pout.

"Fine. Yunho and I are orphans but the people we work for provided for our own house and stuff. Is that good enough for you?"

"Great, actually," Seonghwa responded with a sarcastic grin. Hongjoong returned it, nostrils flared and all, and they both found themselves doubling over with laughter.

"Alright: next question." Hongjoong cleared his throat. "What did you think of me that night we first talked?"

Seonghwa pretended he didn't hear a thing. "What?"

"What did you think about me when we first talked, Hwa?"

"Thought you were insane with that giant hammer you had."

" _Rude_ ," Hongjoong laughed. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Duh."

"Oh, but I think you thought _a lot_ more than that."

"No, I didn't."

Hongjoong arched an eyebrow, pushing his hair behind his ear. Seonghwa's eyes couldn't help but follow that movement.

"We promised one hundred percent honesty, remember? If you tell me what you really thought about me, then I'll tell you what I really thought about you then."

Seonghwa's heart skipped a beat. He was nervous, and he didn't even know why. "...Your lips. They were red because of that lollipop, and I...thought they looked nice. Your eyes drew me in too. I thought they were unusual, but I...I couldn't stop thinking about them..."

Hongjoong was quiet, quieter than Seonghwa had ever seen him to be. And naturally, that made his anxieties increase.

"Was it weird?" Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong shook his head. "No."

"What did you first think about me, then?"

"I thought you looked like the stubborn type. And guess what? I was right about that."

Seonghwa's ears turned pink. "Shut up."

"I also thought -- _think_ \-- you're pretty. Back then, and now." Hongjoong watched him with a little fond smile. "I remember thinking ' _wow_ _, you're gorgeous_ ' when you spoke your first words to me, even when you were super soaked. But I wanted to talk to you too, tasked mission aside. I wanted to, _maybe_ , get to know you a little better."

Seonghwa then realized his nails had dried a while ago in Hongjoong's grip, but he made no move to say anything. He was pretty sure his ears looked like a tomato right now. "Really?"

"Mhm. Really." Hongjoong bit his lip, looking a bit awkward. "Okay. My turn now. Yes."

Seonghwa chuckled, but that didn't hide how fast his heart was racing. "Yes. Your turn."

"Would you mind if I...kiss you?"

Seonghwa's heart stopped, his face so hot he feared it'd burst into flames any second from now. "... _K-Kiss me_?"

Hongjoong's enticing gaze didn't fall, didn't falter. "Yes. You can say no, and I promise not to bring it up ever again -- "

"I won't mind."

Seonghwa felt just as surprised as Hongjoong looked, but he shoved it all aside. _Was he truly agreeing to this?_ He guessed he was.

Butterflies like the ones on his nails swarmed his stomach the moment Hongjoong shortened the space between them, his hands on his shoulders.

Seonghwa felt like he'd been drained of all oxygen seeing the shorter's face so close to his.

Hongjoong was beautiful, his eyes reminiscent of a glowing sunset and the twinkling stars that came along with it. His lips were prettily curved like always, as pink as Seonghwa's face probably was at that second.

The taller's heart thrashed wildly beneath his ribcage when Hongjoong placed a faint kiss on his cheek.

"Is that okay?" Hongjoong asked right next to his ear, his hands still kneaded around his neck.

Seonghwa couldn't, for the life of him, speak up, as his tongue felt a million times heavier.

So instead of doing so, he dived in to softly peck Hongjoong on the lips. It clearly took the shorter boy by surprise, but soon enough, Hongjoong brought their lips together again.

Hongjoong's kisses tasted of oreos, which wasn't a bad thing in the slightest. Seonghwa was _sure_ his inexperience was obvious, but Hongjoong never commented on it. Instead, he guided the taller along, never too pushy or demanding or anything along those lines.

And Seonghwa was fine with it for the most part, that was until Hongjoong laid him on top his bed, slowly climbing over him. His breathing grew laboured, because the sight of Hongjoong over him like that with that lovely crop-top of his was nothing short of _surreal_.

Seonghwa couldn't believe this was happening.

"...Are you uncomfortable?" Hongjoong's face mirrored worry. "Should I stop?"

"No -- " Seonghwa gulped. "It's fine. You can c-continue."

Hongjoong laughed, lightly rubbing his thumb over Seonghwa's cheek. "You're so cute."

"I don't know if that's supposed to be a compliment or not."

Hongjoong kissed him again, deep and breathtaking. His lips were like rose petals, soft and slotting over Seonghwa's like they _belonged_ there. Those butterflies in his stomach doubled in number.

The shorter lightly bit on Seonghwa's lower lip, tugging loosely at it, and Seonghwa had never seen anything more attractive than that in his life. Except for Hongjoong, of course.

His thoughts right now terrified him, but at the same time they felt _liberating_. Right now, he didn't have to overthink anything; all he had to do was act upon his impulses and not give a damn about the future for once.

Seonghwa let his hands run over Hongjoong's toned stomach, cupping his hips in the process. His heart felt seconds away from bursting through his chest when Hongjoong pressed a couple lingering kisses down his jaw.

"Is this okay?" Hongjoong murmured, sounding as breathless as Seonghwa felt.

"Mhm..."

Hongjoong's lips were on his again for what seemed to be the millionth time, but Seonghwa would be lying if he said he disliked it. With every kiss they shared, those feelings Seonghwa had grew and grew until they submerged him in the best way possible.

He really, really liked it.

A sound of a door shutting suddenly rang through the air.

"Joongie? Are you home?" It was _Yunho_.

Panic sparked under Seonghwa's skin at that very moment, but before he could do anything, Hongjoong had already swiftly gotten off of him, nonchalant as ever.

"Just...act normal," the boy told him, to which Seonghwa hurriedly nodded.

Yunho opened the door right then, peeking his head through the opening with a bright smile. Right then, his eyes took in Seonghwa's form on his brother's bed.

"Hey, Yunho," Seonghwa greeted, hoping he sounded 'normal' enough.

"We were hanging out," Hongjoong explained, his tone convincing as hell.

"Oh." Yunho's smile didn't leave his face. "Okay. I'll see you guys in a bit, then. I need to shower and...stuff."

"You do that," Hongjoong told him, and when his brother finally left he turned around to meet Seonghwa's stare. "...That was awkward."

"Very." Seonghwa's throat felt really dry.

But did Seonghwa regret kissing Hongjoong? He didn't think he did.


	23. neon nights

  
Seonghwa was floating, his limbs engulfed inside a dark, reflective liquid that appeared to stretch onwards into the horizon. It was freezing, and once Seonghwa became aware of where he was, he started to move, only to realize he was being weighed down by it all.

He tried to regain control of his arms and legs, but like quicksand the liquid acted as some sort of _barrier_ that pulled him deeper and deeper into the water.

Seonghwa began to panic. He tried to swim and keep himself afloat, but it got harder to do so with every movement. He didn't know where he was, whether this place was real or just a figment of his imagination, but his fear was still prominent.

The sudden appearance of the chaotic clouds in the sky caught Seonghwa's attention, their grey colour darkening with every second that passed. Thunder roared into the air, guttural and frightening, quickly drowning out Seonghwa's frantic heartbeat.

He knew he had to get out of here, but he didn't know _how_. Everywhere he looked was filled to the brim with murky, dense water that kept him stubbornly stuck to one place.

Despite the ominous skies, a flock of birds lazily flew overhead, their chirps reminding the black haired male of sinister laughter. It was nothing short of eerie and isolating, as the animals paid no mind to the stormy weather nor to him.

Seonghwa looked around, trying to find something or some _one_ that could help him get out of here -- wherever _here_ was. The saline-smelling air was making it hard to think and act properly, and time seemed to slow down even further as he struggled to keep himself on the surface.

Then Seonghwa saw _something_ up ahead, but it was so far away that he feared he was now seeing things. He blinked, trying his best to get the water out of his eyes and hair, soon discovering that thing in the distance still remained. It appeared to be afloat just like he was, and naturally he reached out, trying to alert whatever it was of his presence.

 _There's no point. They won't hear you_ , a voice whispered right into his ear like a snake's hiss. It frightened him greatly, because what the hell was that?

Seonghwa's arms felt like lead as he focused on swimming past the heavy waves. But it proved extremely difficult to do. It felt like he was being _tied down_ , trapped and locked into one area, and once again Fear reared its ugly head.

_You can't leave..._

Seonghwa blocked out that despicable voice from his head, forcing himself to _keep moving_ even with how much his joints hurt from it. He pushed his arms into the air and began rapidly waving, hoping that maybe whoever was out there could bring him to safety.

The water surrounding him started to give way, attempting to _absorb_ him, but Seonghwa didn't let that deter him. He continued to move and kicked his legs further and further until that figure in the distance became more visible.

 _Hair_. The person had hair, wet and dark. It curled around their neck, leaving only their bare shoulders exposed. The skin on their back was pale, bordering on sickly, with several minty green specks scattered over it, leaving Seonghwa to wonder if they were even human.

They turned around then, eyes a vibrant gold that shone through the dark.

 _Hongjoong_.

Seonghwa didn't get the chance to react. As if the water had hands of its own, he was suddenly pulled under, the heavy waves suffocating him in _seconds_.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't do _anything_ but sink. He fought against nothing, reflective bubbles fluttering all around him like glass. He was falling, hands grasping everywhere in an attempt to stop himself from drowning, but it wasn't working. _Nothing_ was.

The bubbles multiplied in number, popping and simmering hotly all over his skin. But they didn't _burn_ him.

Seonghwa continued to fall, lungs aching for oxygen, and that was when he realized how _bright_ everything had gotten.

The water swallowing him wasn't dark anymore, but was now glowing a shimmery aquamarine, reminding him of neon. His arms flailed about once he realized that nothing was holding him in place any longer, before wincing at the heat that came in contact with his body.

He tried to propel himself upward, but the heat got even worse. He felt like he was _this_ close to being singed, something he feared with every fibre of his being.

Just seconds away from the water reaching its boiling point, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around him.

Seonghwa opened his eyes as the pain he was experiencing ceased. His heartbeat raced excessively once a familiar set of eyes met his, their touch as cold as the deep ocean.

 _Hongjoong_ , he wanted to say but couldn't for some reason, but it seemed the shorter understood him completely.

The shorter was also apparently shirtless, revealing a finely muscled torso and arms, but those weren't what caught Seonghwa's attention the most.

It was those specks that stretched over areas of Hongjoong's skin, mixing seamlessly with the colour of the water at that moment. Hongjoong's eyes were even more intense than ever, so much so that Seonghwa couldn't once look away as the shorter boy pushed them upwards.

Once they broke through the surface, Seonghwa could _finally_ breathe properly again. He inhaled huge gulps of air, sputtering and coughing out the water that didn't belong in his body. It was fucking embarrassing, but Hongjoong stayed silent while it happened.

"...Why are you here?" Hongjoong asked, his voice strangely echoey.

Seonghwa's heart skipped a beat. He focused anywhere but at the shorter's shirtless self, raking his hands through his hair. "I'm dreaming. ...Right?"

Hongjoong wasn't looking his way. In fact, ever since they came up he'd angled his body away from Seonghwa, almost like he didn't want the taller staring at him; at his _body_.

"You're in my dream," Hongjoong replied, his face betraying no emotions. "Why are you here?"

Seonghwa inhaled. "I'm in your dream? How?"

"I have no fucking idea. That's why I'm asking you."

The taller felt his frustration rise. "Okay -- _Why_ are you so pissy?" Hongjoong still didn't face him, so Seonghwa swam to him and held his arm.

"Let me go." Hongjoong's voice was rough. Heavy. Like he was barely keeping himself together.

"What a nice thing to say to a guy who you locked lips with just a day ago," Seonghwa said, tone dripping with sarcasm. He didn't understand why the shorter male was being like this, why he was _hiding_ himself away from him. "Seriously, what's going on?"

Hongjoong yanked his arm off, only for Seonghwa to move so close that their foreheads nearly touched.

Hongjoong immediately stared in another direction, his jaw clenched. "Don't look at me."

Realization slowly dawned on Seonghwa, especially with how standoffish the shorter was acting and how he avoided eye contact with Seonghwa every chance he got. His anger dissipated, his gaze softening.

"...If you think there's something wrong with how you look right now, then you're mistaken," Seonghwa whispered, noticing how Hongjoong continued to keep his head low. "I think you look very cool."

"Yeah right." Hongjoong scoffed, flashing a disbelieving smile. His canines appeared a lot more pronounced, but they didn't bother Seonghwa. Nothing about the shorter did.

Seonghwa moved even closer, giving Hongjoong no other option but to look into his eyes. Those splotches of mint green coloured his face too, but they were far less than the ones across his chest and back. They were glossy and transparent as well, reminding the taller of emeralds.

"Don't...stare at me like that," Hongjoong muttered, voice bordering on a whisper. He was nervous, jittery. "I look ugly like this."

Seonghwa didn't know how Hongjoong could say that about himself considering the _untouchable_ aura he always gave off, as well as how flamboyantly he dressed nearly everyday. But then he remembered that one course on human psychology he had with San during his freshman year. It'd talked about how people who overdressed usually used their clothes as some sort of shield to protect themselves from the world. They often dressed like that to hide how empty they felt on the inside.

Seonghwa had never given that class a second thought until today, and now as he and Hongjoong stared at each other, everything started to make total sense.

"You're not ugly like this," Seonghwa said. "You're not ugly _at all_."

He let his thumb and index finger softly frame Hongjoong's chin, enamoured with how the smaller boy's long lashes remained perfectly curled despite their bodies being soaked not too long ago.

The water encircling them was still a bright sea green, making the glowing splotches on Hongjoong's skin stand out even more. The shorter's breath hitched as their chests pressed against each other, shoulders tensing. But, he made made no move to stop Seonghwa.

"You don't find me scary?" Hongjoong asked. It was subtle -- the _uncertainty_ in his tone -- and if Seonghwa hadn't been listening closely he would've totally missed it.

Seonghwa rested his arms over Hongjoong's bare shoulders, the latter's cool body sending pleasant shivers down his spine. He leaned in, hooded eyes slowly shutting when Hongjoong's lips found his.

The shorter's lips were just as soft as Seonghwa remembered them to be, asserting the right amount of pressure that coils of heat pooled inside his stomach and his knees got weak.

Hongjoong's grip around Seonghwa's waist was tight but not restrictive, gently planting kisses all over his skin. He didn't seem to mind that they were both currently wet as hell. But then again, Seonghwa didn't mind either.

He pulled back after some time, heart thumping feverishly beneath his ribs. His and Hongjoong's foreheads were now touching, but he liked that too much to step away.

"Is that a good enough answer?" Seonghwa asked, weaving his hands within Hongjoong's damp locks. The latter melted into his touch right away, peering up at him through his golden eyes.

And god, he looked so _breathtaking_.

Hongjoong cupped the taller's face in his small hands, pecking him again. "You're so fucking cheesy."

Seonghwa smiled into the kiss, happy that he'd finally gotten through to him. "Yeah, I know."

Seonghwa opened his eyes. He then took notice of the table before him, as well as the rumbling movement beneath his feet. There was also someone's head resting on his shoulder, their eyes closed but their lips quirked into this faint smile.

Hongjoong's palm lingered on Seonghwa's lap. "Go back to sleep. We were just making out," he mumbled, keeping his voice so low that only the taller male could hear it.

Yunho sat across from them, head placed on his folded arm as he peered through the train's large windows, admiring the exuberant reds, oranges and purples colourfully splayed over the city below them.

Seonghwa's face felt hot. Right. Hongjoong and Yunho had gotten rid of some Mons about an hour ago and decided to head to this place called ' _Neon_ _Nights_ ' by train with him (mostly because they felt like using a train and _also_ because Seonghwa had begged to come along, but he didn't like admitting that).

Which led them to this moment.

Hongjoong patted his chest, gaining his attention. The boy then opened an eye. "Sleep. Now."

"I _can't_. I've already woken up," Seonghwa whisper-yelled in response, which in turn made Yunho watch them both. Nervousness bubbled in his chest at the taller's stare, but Yunho just softly smiled.

"There are fireworks up in the sky right now," Yunho told them, excitement clouding his tone. "Wanna see?"

Since Seonghwa was closer to the windows, he shifted in order to see what Yunho was referring at more clearly, causing Hongjoong to nearly topple off of him.

" _Park Seonghwa_ ," the shorter yelped, adding some select few curses along with it that Seonghwa himself couldn't help but laugh at.

"Are you okay?" Yunho asked his brother, but it was obvious he was also amused.

" _Very_ ," Hongjoong sarcastically answered.

Fireworks of every shade and size scattered across the starless skies, putting the moon's glow to shame. They were like paint splattered over a canvas, sprinkling lights reminiscent of fire in every direction until they eventually fizzled out. The sight was ethereal, and Seonghwa couldn't turn away from it.

That was, until Hongjoong snugged up on his lap, yellowish eyes shining with playfulness.

Seonghwa's heart did a _thing_ once he saw Hongjoong staring coquettishly up at him, and he suddenly had an urge to pull him close and never let go.

"I'm falling asleep on your lap and you can't tell me anything," Hongjoong purred, looking very satisfied with himself. And Seonghwa, well, Seonghwa's heart wouldn't stay still.

"We're heading out soon, though," Yunho clarified. He kept looking out the window, only sparing the two other boys a couple glances every now and then. Contrary to what Seonghwa had feared, he didn't look affected by how touchy his brother was with him. Although he wasn't smiling as much anymore, he still seemed okay with it.

"Don't care." Hongjoong blew the tallest a raspberry, and then shut his eyes.

In times like these, Seonghwa remembered just how childish the shorter could be. But it was... _charming_ , so to speak. Seonghwa found it cute.

Hongjoong smiled then, probably at something he'd thought of at that moment. _Very cute_.

Seonghwa's phone vibrated in his jeans a second later. He took it out, pulse racing once he saw the contact name.

**\- mings**   
_good evening, hwa_   
_sorry i_ _couldnt_ _make it to see u after work_   
_is everything alright?_

Seonghwa almost jerked when he felt Hongjoong lightly scribbling invisible lines over his thighs, but managed to restrain himself on time. He could hear the shorter boy giggling maliciously to himself, only to loudly hiss as soon as Seonghwa viciously pinched his arm.

**\- seongs**   
_yep. yep, everything is_ _a-okay_

**\- mings**   
_where are u rn?_

Seonghwa blankly stared at his red nails, thinking of an excuse until he remembered that Mingi didn't deserve being lied to. They were best friends after all, and the taller honestly deserved to hear nothing but the truth.

**\- seongs**   
_i went out with hongjoong_   
_but don't worry!_   
_i'll be back soon and we can hang out then_

**\- mings**   
_no_   
_its okay_   
_its really good you're spending time with someone else other than san and i for once_

**\- seongs**   
_hey._

**\- mings**   
_i'm kidding lmao_   
_but seriously, i'm ok w it_

**\- seongs**   
_really?_

**\- mings**   
_yessss, really 😂_

Seonghwa felt infinitely more relieved, but that feeling vanished when he felt something poke his thigh. He quickly figured it was Hongjoong, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad, surprisingly. He just continued his sightseeing with Yunho, not minding it in the slightest when Hongjoong played with his fingers for the rest of the ride.

"We're gonna have a talk about it," Hongjoong uttered a few minutes in.

Seonghwa watched him. "Talk about what?"

"How you can apparently enter my dreams...?"

"I don't know either."

"That's why we need to talk about it, duh."

Seonghwa flicked Hongjoong's forehead, grinning when the smaller boy glared at him in response. "Whatever."

⛓️

  
Neon Nights was a flashy pub stark in the center of the dimension known as _Aurora_ that probably _wasn't_ a pub since minors were allowed and they didn't exclusively serve alcoholic beverages. It was a wide space, filled with a commendable number of customers, avant-garde furniture and vivid, eye-catching lamps that involuntarily changed colour after a minute or so.

Seonghwa hadn't even gotten himself properly situated in his seat when he found another familiar face in the gathering of many.

San was dressed head-to-toe in black, very similar to Hongjoong's and Yunho's attires, and he was sat quite close to this other guy with fluffy looking blond hair that reminded Seonghwa of woollen citrine.

"San, Wooyoung!" Yunho waved, promptly alerting the two of them.

They made their way over, the one known as Wooyoung casually sliding into the booth next to Yunho while San gave Seonghwa a knowing smirk, seeing that both him and Hongjoong were seated beside each other. And for some reason that made Seonghwa get all nervous.

"Hey, are you Hongjoong and Yunho's new partner?" Wooyoung asked, watching Seonghwa. He had soft, babyish features, with deep green eyes that were like the Amazon forest and plump lips which were now pulled into this welcoming smile.

"He's Human," Hongjoong stated. Wooyoung's face displayed tangible confusion, but before he could reply, San decided to add something else.

"Jung Wooyoung, meet Park Seonghwa. We're good friends."

"Hey," Seonghwa awkwardly waved, not that exceptional at dealing with new people. He _did_ notice San languidly resting his arm around Wooyoung's body though, and briefly wondered if anything was going on between them.

The confusion swimming in Wooyoung's eyes died down, replaced with a bigger smile. "Hi! _You're_ the Park Seonghwa I've been hearing everyone talk so much about?"

"Uh..." Seonghwa looked to Hongjoong for guidance, but the shorter had already stood up, purposefully avoiding his gaze.

"Yunho and I are getting drinks," Hongjoong said.

Yunho's blue eyes widened. "Wait -- _we are_?"

The shorter dragged him to his feet. " _Yes. We. A_ _re_."

"I'll tag along!" Wooyoung chirped, thereby leaving San and Seonghwa at the booth.

"This is kinda weird," San muttered. "Y'know, seeing as Hongjoong's still bringing you along even when you're not a Variant." The raven haired male leaned in. "Did you, perhaps, _beg him_?"

Seonghwa cleared his throat, playing with his nails. "...No."

San quietly hummed. His eyes then fell on the taller's nails. "Woah. Did Hongjoong do them for you?"

Seonghwa had no reason to feel so anxious due to San's questioning, but he _was_. The way San kept glancing at him made his heart-rate pick up, and he itched to change the subject as quickly as he could. "So... you and Wooyoung. What's up with that?"

San's expression fell. "Do you...have a problem with it?"

Seonghwa shook his head. "No, I -- that isn't what I meant. I was just... _curious_ , I guess. Nothing more."

The other's shoulders loosened with relief. "We're _kinda_ dating."

"Kinda?"

"We're still in the experimental stage. I mean -- going on dates, trying to test if we'd work out or not. That kinda stuff," San explained, fiddling with the bracelet around his wrist. It was made up of shiny black metal with a prettily crafted gold charm hanging off of it. Now that Seonghwa thought about it, he'd caught Wooyoung with an identical one on as well.

Seonghwa began envisioning how his and Hongjoong's matching bracelet would look like -- _if_ they'd ever have one in the first place. The thought was incredibly corny, but he couldn't erase it off his mind that easily.

He just kept thinking and thinking about it.

⛓️

  
Seonghwa couldn't believe his eyes. He'd just been chatting with Yunho, San and Wooyoung, as well as simultaneously trying out this colour-morphing dip with some tortilla chips since Hongjoong had excused himself a few minutes prior, his whereabouts a total mystery to the dark haired male. But then the shorter showed up on the makeshift stage, a silver mic in hand and a white spotlight gracing his presence.

"What..." Seonghwa began, only to realize the others didn't even look shocked or affected by the sudden turn of events. "Is Hongjoong going to sing or something?"

Yunho grinned, shoving a couple more chips into his mouth. "Something like that."

"Yeah," Wooyoung added, his tone nothing less than bubbly. "He _loves_ performing here whenever he gets the chance."

It seemed the more Seonghwa knew about Hongjoong, the less he realized he actually knew about him. The shorter was like a Pandora's Box in the sense that everything about him was interesting and new. _Exciting_.

Seonghwa could never know what to expect from Hongjoong, but maybe that was what drew him in and made him want to _stay_.

Hongjoong propped himself up on the stool provided, a chill, laid-back melody echoing through the speakers right then. It sounded familiar, and it only took Seonghwa a few seconds to fully recognize the song.

Hongjoong started to sing Lauv's _Paris in the Rain_ , his smooth voice highly complementing the instrumentals.

" _Getting lost late at night under stars, finding love standing right where we are. Your lips, they pull me in the moment, you and I alone and people may be watching, I don't mind_..."

A sense of calm washed over Seonghwa as he listened to the shorter's cover of the song, but his heart proceeded to stupidly race when their eyes locked from across the room. And suddenly, the song's lyrics began to hit a little _differently_.

" _'Cause a_ _nywhere with you feels right, anywhere with you feels like, Paris in the rain, Paris in the rain_..." Hongjoong sang, his eyes trained on Seonghwa the whole time. Seonghwa didn't know if it'd been purposeful or not, but he couldn't deny the warmth that overflowed his chest at that moment.

Yunho, San and Wooyoung were totally silent, enamoured by how _pretty_ Hongjoong's vocal colour was and how confidently he sang those lyrics, but Seonghwa was too busy trying his hardest to remain composed. What was wrong with him? Why did the mere sight of Hongjoong singing while staring at him make his heart _do_ things he'd never imagined it to do?

Hongjoong suddenly hopped off the stool and strutted over to where Seonghwa and the rest of the guys were, that same spotlight rushing after him as well. People clapped in excitement as Hongjoong situated himself on the table _right in front_ of Seonghwa, the taller almost choking at the minimal distance between them now.

" _I look at you now and I want this forever, I might not deserve it but there's nothing better_ ," Hongjoong continued singing to Seonghwa, all beautiful smiles and dazzling eyes. " _Don't know how I ever did it all without you, my heart is, my heart is about to jump out of my chest_."

He made everything so _obvious_ now, and Seonghwa didn't know if he was about to faint out of euphoria or shock or _both_.

He didn't even want to _know_ the kind of expression San, Yunho and even Wooyoung had on their faces now, but he guessed they were probably gaping at the sight. Seonghwa probably was as well.

Hongjoong's sleeveless white turtleneck and jeans matched devastatingly well with the spotlight shining down on him. It made him appear as some celestial being, and when he _winked_ at Seonghwa before waltzing back to the stage to finish the song, hips swaying with every timed movement, Seonghwa felt like he was going to completly and wholly _combust_.

" _Paint you with my eyes closed, wonder where the time goes, yeah, isn't it obvious?_ " Hongjoong smirked at the taller as some of the customers began waving their arms to the beat. " _So come and set the mood right, underneath the moonlight. Anywhere with you feels right, anywhere you feels like, Paris in the rain, Paris in the rain..._ "

Once Hongjoong ended the song, the entire pub lit up with happy cheers, _including_ Yunho's, San's and Wooyoung's. And Seonghwa, well, he was blushing. _Hard_.

He didn't know how he could look Hongjoong -- or _anyone else_ for that matter -- in the eye from now on.

Like the whole thing was an everyday occurence for him, Hongjoong blew a kiss then passed the mic to someone else, making his way to his friends after.

"Oh my God, you sounded _great_!" Wooyoung yelped, giving a smiling Hongjoong a quick hug.

"Thanks!" Hongjoong replied.

"I don't think I could ever do that, so a big kudos to you, my friend," San laughed, to which the shorter only rolled his eyes at.

As Yunho gushed about how amazing his brother sang tonight, Seonghwa nibbled on a tortilla, anxiety growing inside him.

Soon enough, Hongjoong sat himself next to him, cushioning his chin with his hand. His eyes were electrifying, as it they could stare right into Seonghwa's soul.

"How was I?" Hongjoong lowly asked. He looked so confident, like nothing could stop him, but his voice wavered at the end. He sounded doubtful.

"Well..." Seonghwa glanced at him, his heart skipping a beat _once again_ when their eyes met. Fuck, what was Hongjoong _doing_ to him? "You sounded a little off-key at certain parts..."

"Okay, fuck you," Hongjoong said. He laughed, however, quickly realizing that the taller had meant nothing of what he'd said.

"I'm joking. You were great, really." Seonghwa couldn't look Hongjoong in the eye, too freaking _shy_ to do such a thing. "And... I never knew people around here also liked Lauv."

"Trust me, they like Lauv _a lot_ ," Hongjoong replied. His eyes crinkled at the sides, radiating fondness towards the boy seated next to him. "I do too. But, you know what I love more?"

Seonghwa's heart raced. "What?"

" _Me_."

Seonghwa chuckled, not even mad at the shorter's response. Honestly, he should've expected it. There was no way Hongjoong would have said he loved _him_. They hadn't known each other for long, after all.

Seonghwa wasn't the biggest romantic, but he was _pretty_ sure love never came that quickly.

"...You know what I'd also love?" He heard Hongjoong say right then.

"...What?"

Both boys ended up excusing themselves for a while, and Hongjoong didn't even wait until they'd reached the back of the pub before he'd pounced on Seonghwa, kissing the living daylights out of him with his legs wrapped around his middle.

And Seonghwa didn't mind. Never once in his life would he imagine being out in public and kissing and holding someone like he was doing to Hongjoong, but it wasn't _nearly_ as bad as he thought.

With Hongjoong, he felt like he could live on the edge without any responsibilities or fears clouding his mind. Hell, even as the skies began to pour, rain wetting them in a matter of seconds, Seonghwa could only giggle as Hongjoong left kisses on his cheek and neck.

"How are we gonna explain this to the others?" Seonghwa asked, not letting his gaze stray once from Hongjoong's face.

Hongjoong shrugged, adorably grinning. " _No idea_. But... I just wanna tell you right now that I like you. A lot. If that wasn't already obvious from the song I chose to sing tonight."

Seonghwa's face flushed, letting himself relax as the shorter's thumbs ran over his cheekbones.

"I like you too."

"What happened to ' _Guys_ _aren't my_ _type_ ', huh?" Hongjoong smirked, like he'd been expecting the taller to retort with a glare or something like that.

Only, Seonghwa reacted completely different.

"Well..." He exhaled, committing this exact moment to memory. "I guess that was because I hadn't met someone I could see myself falling for yet."

Hongjoong's smirk disappeared. Raindrops gathered on his lashes and dampened his hair, but he was still so, so _pretty_. Just like he always was.

"Seonghwa, I..." Hongjoong bit his lip, and the taller boy couldn't look away. "You have _no idea_ how hard my heart's beating right now..."

"I'm _one hundred percent_ sure my heart's beating the same way," Seonghwa answered.

Hongjoong just responded by passionately kissing him again.


	24. dream in a dream

  
Calm was all Seonghwa could feel at that very moment. As he rested against the gleaming red platform shaped like a giant crescent moon that overlooked the buzzing city below, he slowly shut his eyes, wondering how easy it'd be to just fall asleep right now.

Only, something stopped him from doing so. And it was in the form of the boy currently seated beside him, his body so close as he nestled his head on Seonghwa's chest.

Hongjoong's arms were snug around Seonghwa, secure and far from unwanted. The taller had never thought he'd love how physically affectionate Hongjoong could be at times, but then again he'd never known he'd love certain things until the smaller boy did them himself.

"I can't believe we're _literally_ sitting on the sign board of the biggest hotels around here," Seonghwa muttered, staring down at Hongjoong's form. Half of him itched to, maybe, _run_ his fingers through the shorter's silky chestnut hair, and he _may or may not_ have been about to do it when Hongjoong suddenly jerked his head upwards, his golden eyes focused on him.

"I brought us here 'cause this place reminds me of one of the Kdramas I'd watched with Yunho some time before, since he just _loves_ that kinda stuff," the shorter answered, chuckling a little bit. "Crap. What's the name again?"

Seonghwa's hand rested on Hongjoong's back, his chest incredibly warm. It was a feeling he knew he could get used to. " _Hotel Del Luna_?"

Hongjoong's face lit up with a big smile as he snapped his fingers. "Yes. That one. How'd you know?"

"Mingi likes watching dramas, so during summer I watched it with him." Seonghwa smiled a bit at the memory. He could remember Mingi excitedly pulling his bed covers over them every night, eager to watch the next episode of that particular kdrama. Mingi, despite not big on believing in supernatural stuff in real life, would never shy away from a movie or book series that included fantastical elements in it. They were even his favourite.

"You guys must be really close," Hongjoong spoke then, causing Seonghwa to look at him. "I can tell."

"We've known each other since kindergarten," Seonghwa replied, before biting his lip in thought. He and Mingi were alright, and Mingi was acting like himself again, but lately, Seonghwa didn't _think_ that things were completely back to _normal_. It was something he couldn't shake off no matter how much he tried.

Seonghwa's mood began to dampen, but before he could let himself be pulled into that downward spiral of overthinking again, Hongjoong was pulling away, bringing himself up to his feet.

"Alright," the shorter extended his hand towards him. "You're not gonna do this again."

Seonghwa raised his eyebrows, confused as to what he was referring to. "Do what?"

" _Think_." Hongjoong crouched to stare directly into his eyes, their faces just a couple centimeters from touching. "Contemplate, mull over, hypothesize -- "

"Alright, alright." Seonghwa swallowed, trying his best not to let his gaze stray to Hongjoong's lips. "How far were you planning to go with the definitions anyway?"

"Only up until that point." Hongjoong smirked, softly patting the taller's cheek. "But, I mean it. We're gonna do something else tonight."

"What?" Seonghwa allowed Hongjoong to pull him to his feet, only for the shorter to swiftly turn him around then. Seonghwa's back suddenly collided against Hongjoong's chest, the latter's arms teasingly hiking around his waist.

Seonghwa's chest tightened at the contact, his heart palpitating rapidly. He _really_ _did_ _not_ expect that. Something quite similar to butterflies scattered inside his stomach right then as Hongjoong's swayed them side to side, his movements achingly gentle.

"...What are we doing?" Seonghwa whispered. He'd never admit out loud that his heart skipped a beat as soon as Hongjoong laid his head on his shoulder.

The shorter male intertwined their fingers, humming a tune Seonghwa wasn't familiar with. "...Slow dancing."

"Slow dancing," Seonghwa repeated, not believing his ears.

"Yeah." Hongjoong kissed the taller's neck, that area immediately heating up. "I'll dance with you so you won't have anything to think about."

"There's no music."

Hongjoong grinned, their eyes locking. "I'm humming."

"We can't dance here since the roof's slanted. It's dangerous." Seonghwa continued listing the ways which this plan of Hongjoong's could go wrong, but the shorter just kept staring at him, mindlessly nodding along at certain parts. "...Aaand you aren't listening to one word I'm saying."

"You bet." Hongjoong twirled a grumbling Seonghwa around, before leaning in to kiss his knuckles like the princes did in those old Disney movies. "But it's not my fault. You're too beautiful."

Seonghwa's skin grew flushed from that kiss, which he didn't like. He didn't like what Hongjoong was doing to him, what he was making him _feel_. It was new, and it wasn't anything he'd experienced before. It scared him because he was quickly getting addicted to the hold Hongjoong had over him -- to _Hongjoong_ in particular.

So, he pulled his hand away, pretending that he didn't like it. "We're not slow dancing on the roof of a hotel."

"Oh, so we _are_ dancing." Hongjoong stepped closer, settling his arms around Seonghwa's hips. "Just not _slow dancing_."

"No we're _not_." Seonghwa made no move to stop Hongjoong though when the shorter tugged him in so close their noses grazed.

"I got a little twist," the shorter said. "We do whatever 'dance' we can, and the person who gets the most upfront and intimate each time is allowed to get any of their questions answered."

"That sounds absolutely ridiculous," Seonghwa replied, but his heart began to race with anticipation.

Hongjoong shrugged, before rushing forwards and quickly tackling Seonghwa to the ground in the least forceful way he could manage.

Seonghwa's eyes were wide, mouth searching for the words that just wouldn't come to him. His breathing hitched as soon as Hongjoong climbed over him and straddled his lap.

"That is _not_ a dance," Seonghwa gaped. This entire sequence of events reminded him far too much of their first kiss, and just like before, he found Hongjoong dangerously attractive.

"It is in my world," the shorter answered, mischief glinting in his catlike eyes. His hands languidly played with the drawstrings of Seonghwa's hoodie, his touch casting waves of heat down the taller's chest. "I guess it's time to answer my question."

Seonghwa, at that very moment, _didn't_ want to lose this game. Whatever 'this' game was. Yes, he seriously didn't mind the smaller boy on top of him like that, but the competitive side of him was winning over.

Maybe it was because he'd caught Hongjoong off-guard, or maybe because he'd suddenly unleashed the strength he never knew he had, because in a second he'd flipped them over, Hongjoong promptly taking his place on the roof instead.

"I win," Seonghwa widely smiled. A nervous type of adrenaline swirled inside him as he held Hongjoong's arms and pinned them over his head, the shorter looking at him the whole time.

"This dance is weird," was all Hongjoong could mutter, this palpable tension now simmering between them.

"Shut up." Seonghwa's eyes met Hongjoong's, electricity sparking underneath his skin at how heavy and _unrestrained_ the latter's stare was. It was flirty, fond, and sensual all in _one_.

Seonghwa's ears felt so hot right then he was sure they resembled flaming red stop sign.

"You win." Hongjoong didn't move from his position. "What're you gonna do to me now?"

"You're making it sound so -- " Seonghwa inhaled, letting the shorter go.

"So _what_?" Hongjoong sat up, tilting his head innocently to the side with a smirk.

Seonghwa gulped, knowing Hongjoong knew _fully_ well what he meant. "I'm gonna ask my question now."

Hongjoong crossed his legs, but his smirk was still there. "Shoot."

"How did I enter your dream?"

Hongjoong fiddled with the springy bracelet around his wrist, and it made Seonghwa remember Saturday night when he'd seen San and Wooyoung with their own type of bracelet, one that belonged to _them_. "No idea. Why are you asking me this?"

"You're the one with the superpowers here," Seonghwa deadpanned. "I thought you would've found out by now."

"It's Monday," Hongjoong retorted. "I hate doing stuff on Monday."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, hearing the shorter snicker next to him. "Well... Can't you at least _ask_ someone about it?"

Hongjoong shifted closer until their lips were just seconds from touching. "Depends on what you're willing to do to get it." He slid his arms over Seonghwa's shoulders.

Since when did he get so bold, so flirtatious and so _touchy_? Seonghwa had no idea, but it was driving him crazy.

"I'm pretty sure blackmail is illegal," he said, surprised he was still able to articulate properly despite Hongjoong's gorgeous face so near to his.

Before Seonghwa could even blink, Hongjoong had _him_ pinned instead, his hands unable to move _at all_.

"Now _I_ win." The shorter still had the nerve to look splendidly naive, but something dark and naughty twisted inside his gaze.

"I -- "

" _Shh_ ," Hongjoong tutted, leaning in. "Just...kiss me."

Seonghwa did so without further complaints. Their lips met, slow and steady like they both wanted to savour this moment for as long as they could. Seonghwa didn't mind that Hongjoong was on top of him again; in fact, he _liked_ it. He liked it when Hongjoong's cool fingers ran over his skin, liked it when Hongjoong kissed him so gently, so ardently like he was the only person that existed in the entire world. Like he was the only person that _mattered_.

Hongjoong made Seonghwa feel special in ways he couldn't describe.

"I'm going to leave a mark on your neck," Hongjoong said at that moment. "If that's alright with you."

Seonghwa opened his eyes, still a little dazed from the shorter's lips on his moments prior. "...What?"

Hongjoong smiled at him, smoothly running his finger down his neck like he was enamoured with it. "A hickey. I wanna leave a hickey on you."

Seonghwa's heart raced with... _preparation_? Excitement? He didn't know. All he could focus on was Hongjoong and Hongjoong alone. "You sure you aren't a vampire?"

"I'm not. But if you keep mentioning it I might just sink my teeth into you and get a taste."

The innuendos were just _too_ _much_ for Seonghwa. He grimaced. "Shut up and get on with it already."

"Your wish is my command."

Seonghwa cringed. "Hongjoong -- " he started, only to swallow the rest of his words when the aforementioned male stooped down on the slope of his neck, gently nibbling on the skin there. It shouldn't have felt this _good_ , but it did.

Heat swelled in his chest when Hongjoong bit on the already sweltering area, never exerting too much pressure that could actually hurt him. "...Is this okay? Does it feel nice?"

"Y-Yeah..." Seonghwa didn't have the luxury of feeling embarrassed by his stuttering, as Hongjoong had moved on to _another_ spot, one right on his collarbone.

Hongjoong sucked on the skin there as well, the soft pad of his tongue instantly warming Seonghwa up.

"I thought...I thought you only wanted to give me one hickey," Seonghwa breathed, heartbeat pounding so loud in his ears when Hongjoong looked up at him.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I'll stop," the shorter stated as he stroked Seonghwa's inky black hair, his touch feathery light like he didn't ever want to injure him.

"Don't," Seonghwa shook his head. "I... I really like it."

⛓️

  
Hongjoong pulled out a small, bulbous object from his pant pocket, smiling at the way Seonghwa's eyes immediately followed after it.

"What's that?" The older asked. Both males were seated now, staring out into the numerous city lights. The only difference was that Hongjoong was smiling, bubbly, whilst Seonghwa's neck was still burning from the impromptu makeout session they'd taken part in just minutes ago.

Seonghwa didn't even wanna know how many marks Hongjoong had left on him, and a part of him wondered if he was gonna regret his reckless actions later.

"It's another location sensor apart from the in-ear Yunho and I use on our missions. Yeosang gifted it to us so we could call on him anytime we absolutely _need_ to."

"Oh." Seonghwa licked his lower lip. "Can I..."

"Touch it? Yeah." Hongjoong passed it over to him, scooting closer until their shoulders and thighs brushed. "You press on the little red button in the middle, and then -- "

Seonghwa had already done as he'd instructed, watching with an amazed expression as the upper part of the black ball extended, whirring about as it displayed all the complicated machinery inside of it.

A beam of light shot out into the air right then, startling the dark haired male. The light soon disappeared, though, showcasing a hologram of a person Seonghwa had never seen before.

" _Hi_ , Yeosang," Hongjoong greeted with a small wave, and Seonghwa quickly remembered what Yunho had said about them.

Yeosang had long, blond hair that curled a bit over their shoulder, with round brown eyes that were currently narrowed at Hongjoong. They looked quite close in age with both Hongjoong and Seonghwa, their facial features daintily and prettily sculpted. They didn't look _real_ \-- and maybe they weren't.

"The hell did you call me for?" Yeosang asked Hongjoong, their voice rather deep considering their childlike looks. They crossed their arms over their chest, not seeming too happy with the summoning.

Hongjoong gestured to Seonghwa, who still looked a little flabbergasted at the other's unexpected appearance. He smiled to himself when he caught the taller adjusting his collar to over up the marks on his neck. "Seonghwa here wants to ask a question."

Yeosang sat in front of said male, awfully three-dimensional that Seonghwa couldn't help but marvel at the technology behind it. "Okay, I was about to sleep and stuff. But now I'm curious, Hwa. I _can_ call you Hwa, right?"

Seonghwa cleared his throat. "Uh, sure."

"Only his friends call him Hwa," Hongjoong pointed out.

"Then I guess we're friends now," Yeosang grinned, showcasing a set of small teeth. It was cute.

Seonghwa nodded, chuckling at the way Hongjoong huffed.

"No offense, but is this...how you normally appear?" Seonghwa asked Yeosang. "Are you also a Variant?"

"Ah, well," Yeosang began, "I actually exist in real life. I'm also part robot, so that's that."

Seonghwa never would've guessed. The blond, despite their holographic form, looked exeedingly human. "That's... actually cool."

"Thanks!" Yeosang beamed.

"Can we get to the questions now?" Hongjoong interrupted. His face scrunched with impatience.

Yeosang waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know you're jealous." They ignored Hongjoong's dramatic gasp, looking right at Seonghwa. "So, Hwa. What question do you have for me?"

"Well," Seonghwa clasped his hands together. "I can enter Hongjoong's dreams. I mean, I've entered them once or twice -- "

" _Once or twice_?" Hongjoong mirrored, staring at the taller with widened eyes.

"Yes. Once or twice," Seonghwa stated. God, that sounded pretty weird once he said it out loud, especially with Hongjoong and Yeosang both staring straight at him.

"You mean you can consciously appear in Hongjoong's dream?" Yeosang asked.

"Not exactly consciously," Seonghwa clarified. "I just show up and then he's there. The first time I did it, I saw Hongjoong -- " he paused, thinking about that orphanage he'd seen. There was a chance that building existed, at least in Hongjoong's reality, especially since he'd seen the shorter's body change also in his dream. And Hongjoong confirmed it was real, so everything else had to be, right?

"Saw me do what?" Hongjoong asked. His yellowish eyes were as intense and inquisitive as always, but this time around they made Seonghwa a lot more nervous.

"You were walking around and I was there," Seonghwa responded, keeping everything vague for some reason he couldn't explain. "The last time I appeared in your dream was Saturday, and we were able to talk then."

A bunch of floating, translucent screens popped up in front of Yeosang right then. The blond blankly stared at them as they kept scrolling, kept decreasing and increasing with the amount of information on them.

"Right now, you can see them being possessed by the techno-demons," Hongjoong whispered quite loudly into Seonghwa's ear.

"I can hear you!" Yeosang commented. The screens vanished, and then they clapped their hands. "Okay, so first of all, what you just described is called Dream Walking. It's a rare ability, and just like lucid dreaming, it needs more and more practice to get good at it."

"I never knew that was a thing," Seonghwa muttered.

Hongjoong looked just as confused as him. "Me neither."

"It's already hard enough to be able to control your dreams as a whole, but the fact that you can do it with Hongjoong is..." Yeosang looked between the two of them and began to smile. "I think you two have something extra special going on here."


	25. reveal

_tw: mentions of suicide_ _attempt_ _and blood_

⛓️

  
Seonghwa stared at the sky as he took a sip from the straw of his salted caramel mocha, noticing the gradually setting sun and how dark it was starting to appear around here. Mingi sat across from him at the Starbucks' patio, the amber lights surrounding them and a few other customers setting a warm, friendly atmosphere that Seonghwa greatly enjoyed and appreciated.

He _also_ appreciated the company Mingi provided him, mostly because he'd been feeling a little iffy all day at school earlier, so much so that even Hongjoong's presence couldn't get rid of the restlessness he'd felt. Also, the last thing Seonghwa wanted was to finish his classes and head back to his empty house, that feeling of loneliness and unease threatening to eat him up, so Mingi's last-minute suggestion to hang out at Starbucks and spend some time together was something Seonghwa had agreed with right away.

"So Mr Lee had instructed us last week to write a music essay on one of our favourite songs, right," Mingi was currently retelling the events that'd happened during one of his classes, "so I decided to write one on NCT 127's _Punch_ since it's a pretty interesting acid trip of a song, you know that."

Seonghwa took another sip, chuckling a little. "Right."

"So I handed in the essay, and today he handed it back and said, and I quote 'Your essay was well written and thought-out, but I had to give you a B-minus because it's Kpop, not _real_ _music_ '. Like, what the hell?" Mingi finished, his eyebrows knitted and a look of discontentment plastered on his face.

Seonghwa laughed. "Okay, _what_? Isn't he the same guy who accepted that _mostly_ _Kpop_ mashup you'd submitted to him two weeks ago?"

" _Yes_!" Mingi quickly nodded, shifting closer as if he was about to let Seonghwa in on a little secret, his iced cappuccino all forgotten about. "That's what's messing with my _mind_. It's like, he turned into a _completely different_ person. Get this, he even wears _khakis_ now instead of his cool-ass leather jackets and jeans. What the fuck."

Seonghwa couldn't help but snigger at Mingi's over-the-top statement. "Wait. What's wrong about that?"

Mingi stared exasperatedly at him like he just _couldn't believe_ Seonghwa wasn't taking his 'legit' accusations seriously.

"Listen, Hwa. I have a theory that the _real_ Mr Lee was replaced with an exact clone that's -- newsflash -- some sort of _alien_ type species, because how could he _suddenly_ change within a week or so? He freaking _liked_ Kpop before, which was one of the things that made him cool." Mingi loudly sighed, raking his hands through his hair as if what he was saying was earth-shattering news. "I'm honestly feeling so betrayed rn."

"Did you just say r-n?" Seonghwa questioned with a disbelieving shake of his head.

"Yes. What're you gonna do about it?" Mingi replied. He finally remembered his half-empty coffee's existence and took a sip, looking as close to happy as one could get. And Seonghwa was glad he got to witness it. It was great to see Mingi being his endearingly talkative and cheerful self again.

Seonghwa just didn't know how Mingi would react if he found out about what he did when he wasn't around. The brown haired male knew nothing about the places he went, or about those terrifying Mons, and most importantly, he didn't know a _single thing_ about what Seonghwa and Hongjoong had going on.

The guilt always struck worse during moments like these when it was just the two of them, because wasn't Mingi Seonghwa's best friend? Mingi had never hid stuff from him like he was doing currently; he'd never shied away from telling him the truth whenever he could.

"Hwa. Earth to Hwa. Venus to Hwa. _Mars_ to Hwa -- "

Seonghwa blinked, realizing he'd gotten lost in his thoughts yet again about the ways he'd been lying to his friend. "What?"

Mingi chuckled, staring fondly at him through his glasses. "You got all lost and absentminded again. It was very cute."

Seonghwa groaned, not really liking the term. "No, it's not."

"No, seriously." Mingi adjusted his thinly-framed glasses, another habit of his when he felt a little nervous. "You're really cute."

That feeling came back again. That same stifling, unknown feeling Seonghwa'd experienced at the time he'd had to hide Mingi away from that Mon. It made his stomach get all tangled up with nervous knots, and he didn't like it. The free-spirited mood encircling them had grown far heavier.

Mingi stared intently at him as if he expected Seonghwa to just _get it_ \-- whatever 'it' was. But Seonghwa had no idea what was even going on, and as the seconds ticked by, his anxiousness only increased.

"What..." Seonghwa inhaled, not knowing what his friend was getting at. "What's going on?"

Mingi rubbed his neck, taking a couple more sips out of his cappuccino. His expression became unnervingly unreadable, and Seonghwa feared he'd done something to infuriate him again. "Nothing. I was just teasing you, haha."

Seonghwa bit his lip. "Are you telling me the truth?"

"I don't know," Mingi forced out, voice tight. "Are _you_?"

Things were starting to turn sour between them, something Seonghwa was mortified of. He didn't like how Mingi's tone bordered on _accusatory_ , and to make matters worse, it only served to deepen that canyon of the cold, hard guilt that'd chained him.

"I know you're keeping some things from me," Mingi said.

Seonghwa's throat dried. "I-I don't."

" _No_ ," the taller pressed, "it's fine. There's _no way_ I'd expect you to let me know of every single thing that's been going on in your life, just like how you don't expect me to do so either. But what I really can't stand is you pretending that you _don't_ hide stuff from me."

Seonghwa didn't know what to say, but he knew Mingi was _right_. Mingi was a hundred percent right, but now he'd managed to come along and fuck things up again. That's what he always did, just like his father had said.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I know you hate being lied to, and now I fucking messed things up again."

Mingi's face changed into one that looked highly apologetic. "No, Hwa. You didn't." He slid his palm over Seonghwa's, taking notice of how his hand shook. "I'm not mad at you, I'm really not."

Mingi's thumb was rubbing over Seonghwa's knuckles, and it only succeeded at calming him down somewhat when he remembered the way Hongjoong would slowly stroke his hands while staring into his eyes like he wanted nothing more than for him to be okay.

But, the thought of Hongjoong worsened that guilt that'd clung to Seonghwa. He kept thinking of their interactions. Their hangouts, their bickering, their _kisses_ ; of the shorter's hands on him. And like venom plunged into one's bloodstream, the guilt continued to grow and poison his every thought and emotion.

"I -- Hongjoong -- " Seonghwa's throat felt extremely suffocated. Mingi's darkening features didn't make things any better.

The taller's brows rose. "Hongjoong? What about him?" It was clear he was curious, but there was this hard undertone to his voice. Seonghwa couldn't figure out what it was, but it wasn't something he could say he liked.

Seonghwa knew he couldn't tell Mingi the whole truth, especially the one that included what Hongjoong, San and Yunho did and the abilities they had, but he could at least be honest about one thing. He could be honest about his and Hongjoong's 'relationship'.

It wasn't a labelled thing, which Seonghwa was okay with, but he wasn't sure if he'd be okay with it if Mingi found out. He didn't even know how his friend would react to it. What if he somehow wasn't okay with it? Hongjoong wasn't necessarily good buddies with him. The thought itself filled Seonghwa with copious amounts of anxiety.

"...Seonghwa?" Mingi spoke up again, looking worried now. "You okay?"

Seonghwa nodded. His fingers mindlessly ran over his clothed neck, but then heat bloomed in his chest when the image of Hongjoong creating hickeys on it resurfaced in his mind. _That_ was the precise reason he'd opted to wear turtlenecks to school, and now as well. "I'm fine. Just... Yeah. Hongjoong."

"You guys did anything together?" Mingi asked. Seonghwa recognized that tone. It was that _too-casual_ one the taller held whenever he tried to seem unbothered about a certain subject that _actually_ bothered him. He'd done it enough times for Seonghwa to pick up on it almost immediately.

"Well," Seonghwa cleared his throat. He wanted to drink from his salted caramel mocha as a way to distract himself, but then he realized it was now as empty as the night sky without the moon and stars. He didn't know how to break it to Mingi without making everything awkward as fuck. "Actually, we -- "

A new person walked up to the Starbucks building. It was a girl with shoulder-length black hair that curled around her ears, and her hands were stuffed inside the pockets of her blue jeans, her gaze focused on the ground.

Her face was familiar, and Seonghwa soon realized that he'd seen her before. Kang Mira was her name, and he'd done a group project or two with her at his history classes. They'd never really talked much, and Seonghwa didn't know her out of school anyway, so there wasn't any reason for her to spark his attention other than the fact that they'd crossed paths at school a few times.

But, as soon as Seonghwa had seen her, he spotted something around her that shouldn't have been there. Or rather, something _emitting out_ of her.

Like flames crackling over logwood, darkness pulsed out Mira's body in waves, swooshing about like a thick veil of smoke. Alarm blared through Seonghwa's system, his eyes following her until she marched into the cafe with quick steps.

"Is that _Mira_? I think that's her," Mingi said, his nonchalance on the matter revealing that he hadn't seen what Seonghwa had. "She's walking quite weirdly though. Maybe she's in a hurry."

"Maybe..." Seonghwa tried his hardest not to look her way too much. What if she caught him staring and thought he was a creep or something? He also didn't want Mingi getting any thoughts into his head about the matter. But that proved extremely hard to do with those dark things continuously swimming over her skin, as well as her antsy behaviour.

Mira didn't even _buy_ anything. She went in and she came out empty-handed, her eyes trained on the ground and her fingers tightly curled by her sides. Seonghwa couldn't look away, because those things surrounding her were reminiscent of Mons, and just like that time he'd seen that little boy nearly get attacked by one, he felt the unquenchable need to _do_ something.

He could call Hongjoong and tell him about it. But then again, the shorter boy could've already known. But what if he _didn't_ know? What if a Mon had already gotten to Mira? Was that why darkness seeped out of her like an extended shadow?

"Seonghwa," Mingi sounded _shocked_. "Where are you going?"

Seonghwa was on his feet, his eyes on Mira as she continued her hasty walk down the other side of the Starbucks building.

"I -- " he gulped. "I need to go call my dad."

Mingi didn't look convinced. "Your dad? Did something happen?"

"It's kinda private," Seonghwa replied, his fists clenched. He hoped he sounded like he was telling the truth. "But don't worry -- I'll be back really soon."

Mingi frowned, sighing after a second. "Sure, fine. I'll wait here."

Seonghwa quickly nodded, and then he was off, heading further into that same direction Mira had wandered off in. In no time at all, he spotted her up ahead, her back hunched and her legs speeding up as if she wanted to _hide_ from something. Those dark things continued to float around her, extending and winding about like extra limbs.

The more Seonghwa walked, the less people appeared. The silence was eerie and palpable, and as moments passed by, Seonghwa began to wonder if he'd made the right choice by following her. What was he even _doing_? He had no way of helping her or getting rid of those shadows coming from her. What if she was going somewhere that'd risk both their lives?

Something grabbed Seonghwa by the arm right then, narrowly causing him to stumble. He almost shouted, fearing he was in danger until his eyes met vividly golden ones that totally stopped him in his tracks.

Hongjoong was donned in a long-sleeved black sweater tucked into a pair of equally black shorts. He even had a black cap on, but even that didn't lessen that harsh, scolding look in his eyes.

"What the fuck were you trying to do?" Were his first words to the taller male. They were just as harsh.

Seonghwa's heart was racing, both in fear and excitement at seeing Hongjoong, but now was certainly not the time. "M-Mira. She's -- "

" _Taken_ ," Hongjoong finished for him, his glare still not wavering.

Seonghwa spared the aforementioned girl a hurried glance as he tried to make sense of Hongjoong's words. "What? What do you mean by _taken_?"

"You can't save her." Hongjoong's grip on his arm didn't loosen. "No one can. The Mon's already entered her."

Seonghwa couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No." He tried to pull his arm away, but the shorter's grip was strong. "What the hell, Hongjoong? _Let me_ _go_."

"You're not going _anywhere_ ," Hongjoong argued. He was still glaring at Seonghwa, but now there was a hint of desperation in there too. "You're staying with me, and that's _final_."

Seonghwa looked for Mira, and now she was further ahead, moving closer and closer to a lone road. A cool sensation of dread slipped into him right then. No, this couldn't be happening.

Immediately he started pulling harder, using all his strength to free himself from Hongjoong's hold. "Don't -- don't tell me she's going to die. I can't _let that happen_! Don't try to stop me!"

Hongjoong looked nothing less than furious, but his tone was pleading. "I already told you there's nothing I can do! There's nothing _any_ of us can fucking do once a Mon fully infects someone."

"If she dies, then you've failed."

Seonghwa finally freed himself then, not allowing himself to get bothered by the cold look on Hongjoong's face. He turned around and started to run.

" _Seonghwa_!"

Seonghwa wouldn't let Hongjoong get to him. He _had_ to keep moving, had to get to Mira before anything bad happened to her. He didn't know what he'd do if she got hurt or died, and it was a possibility he just _couldn't_ bear.

He wouldn't allow himself to fail. _Never again_.

Mira was quickly nearing the road, her movements crazed and her eyes large as if she'd seen something she wasn't supposed to see. She already had naturally big eyes, but now they just appeared overly petrified.

Seonghwa tried to call out to her, but she was too fast.

"Seonghwa!" Hongjoong yelled, right on his tail. He sounded _afraid_ , something he'd never sounded like before, and Seonghwa nearly did stop until he witnessed Mira halting in the middle of the road, staring straight at something in the distance.

All of a sudden, a beam of headlights broke through the dark. A truck was speeding over, but Mira just stood there like she was waiting for it to _hit her_.

Seonghwa started running even faster, feeling his heartbeat thump loudly against his chest. He didn't know what he was planning to do once he got to Mira; all he wanted to do was to make sure she didn't die.

Blood rushed into his head as soon as he grabbed her, and in less than a second pain tore through his entire body like he being _burned alive_.

The truck's tires screeched against the asphalt road, the sound grating against the walls of Seonghwa's head. Someone -- possibly Hongjoong -- had stopped the vehicle from hitting them, but he couldn't concentrate on anything right now. His chest pounded with a force so great he feared it'd blow up, and his skin continued to burn like there was no tomorrow.

Mira was on the ground, passed out with soot smeared over some parts of her arms. But she was fine. No shadows covered her anymore.

Something bright orange blazed at the corners of Seonghwa's eyes, but he was in too much pain to register anything properly.

"... _nghwa_ _...Seonghwa_..." Hongjoong's face was a little blurry, but his distressed and panicked expression was evident. He looked _horrified_.

Seonghwa wanted to ask him what was wrong, but his lungs felt like they were filled with nothing but sandpaper. Beads of sweat rolled down his temple, and he gingerly reached to wipe it off when he saw the state of his arms.

Red decorated his arms like they'd been clawed into, and blood soiled his abdomen as well. When Seonghwa stared at his palms, he realized they had soot on them just like Mira, as well as something flickering and woven in between his fingers.

 _Fire_.

Hongjoong was already over him, talking to someone he couldn't see as well as rapidly quenching the flames fanning his hands with water. Now that he was close enough, Seonghwa could see the little scratch marks on his face.

His heart plummeted. Hongjoong got hurt too.

" _Hong...joong_..." Seonghwa parted his lips to say, but he couldn't get anything else in. Everything hurt.

"Shh..." Hongjoong whispered, soothing the burning marks on the taller's arms with his ice powers. It was hard to tell what he was feeling at that moment, but it certainly wasn't happiness. "You'll be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"...I'm sorry. I-I..." Seonghwa swallowed, the lump in his throat growing. His bottom lip trembled as warm tears stung his eyes, rolling down his cheeks.

"Don't cry, Seonggie. Help will arrive soon. You, and everyone else will be fine. Don't worry..." Hongjoong said, smoothing down Seonghwa's hair like a doting mother would.

That realization struck Seonghwa harder than ever, and he shut his eyes, quietly sobbing and feeling like the biggest let-down in the whole universe. For the first time in a long time after his mother's death, he was _crying_ , almost choking on his tears, and he couldn't _stop_.

An opening sliced through the air, electric blue and swirling like a portal. People dressed in white from head to toe rushed towards them, and it didn't take long for Seonghwa to succumb to the tiredness weighing down on his bones.

⛓️

When Seonghwa opened his eyes, he was faced with what appeared to be a hospital room. Unlike traditional hospital rooms however, the walls glimmered with navy blue skies and stars of every colour imaginable that switched positions every few seconds. It was like staring at an actual night sky, and for a moment, the sight calmed him down until he remembered what had happened to him earlier.

He quickly sat up, examining what he could on his body. He had on a standard white hospital wear, but a large bandage had been wrapped around his stomach area. Even with this, he didn't feel any pain anymore.

The doors opened then, and in stepped Hongjoong as well as a taller woman dressed in a long, grey coat and her similarly grey hair pulled into an orderly bun.

She smiled as soon as she saw Seonghwa, while Hongjoong's stare alone oozed relief.

"Hello, Park Seonghwa," the woman began, stopping at the foot of his bed. Hongjoong didn't seem to care as much for personal space as she did, as he was beside Seonghwa in seconds.

Seonghwa wanted to reply her, but the woman just shook her head.

"No need to say anything, dear. My name is Miss Suh. I'm one of the Head Medical Officials here, and luckily, you didn't acquire any serious injures to your body despite being attacked by a Mon," Miss Suh introduced, her voice both soft and curious. "And do not worry. Mira and the driver have been dealt with accordingly."

"Another way of saying they're safe and won't remember a thing," Hongjoong said while staring right at Seonghwa. And Seonghwa stared right back. 

He wasn't a big fan of hospitals, but as Hongjoong entwined their fingers, Seonghwa started to feel better.

Miss Suh chuckled at the sight, before pulling out a file and pen. "Are you experiencing any headaches or tingling under your skin, Mr Park?"

Seonghwa slowly shook his head. "No..."

"Hmm, that's very good." Miss Suh scribbled something down in the file.

Hongjoong never took his eyes off Seonghwa the entire time, never stopped holding his hand either. And just like always, it made butterflies overflow the insides of the taller's stomach. 

"As you might've already known, we sent Hongjoong to befriend you in order to find more information about you, like how you can see Mons," Miss Suh said, with Hongjoong subtly grimacing at her words. "But nothing about you appeared out of the ordinary -- until tonight."

Seonghwa's eyes widened, not really knowing where she was getting at. He began feeling nervous again. "...What do you mean?"

  
"You have Pyrokinesis," Hongjoong answered this time, but unlike Miss Suh, he didn't look nearly as excited. "Earlier, you killed the Mon with the fire coming from your hands."

"You also got rid of the Mon after it already infected Mira," Miss Suh said. She stared at Seonghwa like she'd just struck _gold_. "It's an extremely rare ability, one that only _Natural-born_ Variants have. And, that is who we've concluded you are, Mr Park."


	26. reveal pt 2

  
For a couple prolonged seconds, Seonghwa didn't know how to react. He just sat there, noticing how Miss Suh continued to smile at him as if he was somehow supposed to take this positively.

Hongjoong was the one who spoke next, squeezing Seonghwa's hand to gain his attention. "...You're not okay with it."

"I -- " Seonghwa's free arm wrapped around his bandaged torso, the area still a bit sore to the touch. It was like the entire room was spinning, and his chest felt so tight, his rapid heartbeat ringing loudly in his ears. He quietly winced, and Hongjoong must've heard him because he wasted no time in moving closer and lightly placing a hand on his back. "I don't know what to _think_."

"I understand this sudden information may be a little difficult to process, Mr Park," Miss Suh began, her round brown eyes boring into Seonghwa's skull. "So that is why I and the rest of the Officials will leave you with sufficient time to think it over."

Seonghwa looked up, the tightness in his chest increasing by a hundredfold. "...Think what over?"

"Joining us."

Seonghwa was once again left speechless, and he found himself watching Hongjoong as if the shorter had all the answers and all the solutions to everything in the world.

The shorter's face was hard, steely gaze directed at the only female in the room. "Not every Variant has to join, you know that. We already _talked_ about this."

He sounded so _different_ , so _unlike_ himself with his clenched jaw and narrowed golden eyes that Seonghwa felt intimidated even when he wasn't the one being looked at.

Hongjoong's harsh stare didn't seem to deter Miss Suh, though. With the casual way she spoke, Seonghwa felt as if she and Hongjoong had had this conversation countless times before. "Yes, we _did_ talk about it. But Mr Park's power is like a rare gem, and once he is able to build up on it and receive training, the extent of what he's capable of will be _endless_. Especially with his history."

Seonghwa couldn't process any of this. It was almost as if this was nothing but a dream, and maybe it truly was. _Nothing_ that had happened thus far seemed real in the slightest.

"What history?" His voice sounded thin and hoarse like he needed a drink, and he hated it. The more time he spent here, the harder it got to remain focused. Even the bright stars floating across the walls seemed a lot less freeing and surreal. Instead, they appeared to be mocking him as they languidly moved about without a care in the world whilst he felt nothing but _caged_ in this place.

"Park Yiyeon, Seonghwa." Miss Suh answered, and at the mere mention of his mother, Seonghwa felt his surroundings -- his _heart_ , even -- slowing drastically. As if things couldn't get any worse, Miss Suh continued to speak, apparently not noticing the way the dark haired male stiffened. "Your mother, bless her soul, she'd been one of our earlier members. She was also a Natural-born Variant like you are, only she made sure that you nor your father ever got involved with what she did here..."

As she kept talking, her voice entered through one ear and out the other, fizzling out in the process. Seonghwa couldn't help it; his heart was racing, pounding erratically in his chest like it was ready to burst out of his body.

 _Your mother. Natural-born Variant. Made sure you nor your father ever got involved_. Those words replayed over and over in his head, sounding louder and louder each time until Seonghwa felt the overwhelming urge to just _block them all out_.

 _Get out, get out, get out!_ Seonghwa wanted to yell, but he couldn't move. Someone's hands were on him, shaking him, but all Seonghwa could think about was the fact that his mother had been living a double life when she was still alive. She'd been like Hongjoong, Yunho, San and the others, but Seonghwa had never suspected anything. How did he not know all this time?

" _Seonghwa._ " Hongjoong's voice was firm and pleading, finally drawing the older out of his spiralling thoughts. His eyes were like caramel, soft and staring right at Seonghwa with recognizable worry.

Seonghwa pulled his hand away, but Hongjoong didn't look offended. He understood the older probably needed some space to think right now, and he was right. Seonghwa felt so fucking claustrophobic it made him sick.

"I know this may be surprising. _Shocking_ , even," Miss Suh said, her eyes so sympathetic they looked nearly _practised_. "But, your mother had been -- and still is -- a very loved member of this organisation. We appreciated her optimism and her dedication to helping the world be free of Mons. She was a pillar of strength to us all."

"What does that have to do with me?" Seonghwa spat. It was like he was on autopilot now, just like he always was whenever his mother was mentioned. "I'm not her, and I really don't need this right now."

Miss Suh hardly looked fazed. She still had that amiable smile plastered across her features. "That is why we're giving you some time to think everything through. Pyrokinesis is already a power many Variants do not have, and the fact that you were born with it without any sort of experimentation like the others makes you even more special. That is why we'd love to work with you, Mr Park."

" _Ahjin_ ," Hongjoong pressed then, and when Seonghwa looked at him, he was taken aback with how much _fire_ the shorter's gaze alone held. "Enough."

Miss Suh's smile didn't drop, and Seonghwa himself felt his irritation rise at the way she continued to appear unbothered, as if this was something Seonghwa should just _accept_ already. "Hongjoong, the fact that you talk to me a lot more than with most Officials doesn't give you the right to call me by my first name. I'm just telling Mr Park the truth, one which he deserves to hear."

"He's obviously not into it," Hongjoong snapped back.

"Why else were you instructed to befriend him?" Miss Suh remained calm, but her voice had a sternness to it that was hard to miss. "We needed to confirm if he _indeed_ was a Variant like his mother, and we turned out to be correct."

"Can you _please_ not mention that?" Hongjoong's expression darkened, his fists slowly clenching. Seonghwa could clearly that Miss Suh's words affected him more than he'd ever know, so despite how shaken up he was feeling on the inside, he reached out and grasped Hongjoong's smaller palm in his, all while trying to stabilize his heartbeat.

"I also learnt of the time when you went to Flora with Hongjoong and Yunho and that golf ball you had caught on fire. Yeosang had documented everything, and honestly, I don't know why we didn't figure things out sooner," Miss Suh addressed Seonghwa, choosing to totally ignore Hongjoong's previous statement. Her borderline dismissive behaviour rubbed Seonghwa in all the wrong places, and there was nothing more he wanted at that moment than for him to leave.

"I need to go," he spoke, keeping his tone even despite the brief pinches of pain he felt in his middle with every shallow breath he inhaled. "Dad would be worried by now."

He knew _Mingi_ also would be, if not angry or frustrated as well. Seonghwa knew he'd basically bailed on the taller boy tonight and straight up lied to his face about everything that'd happened. The guilt was eating him alive, but he tried his best not to think too much about it now, especially when he needed to get out of here first.

"Alright, Seonghwa," Miss Suh smiled, clicking on her pen. "You should feel all better in the morning. I already wrote out a doctor's note for p.e. tomorrow, and everything will be fine."

At this point, Seonghwa wasn't surprised anymore. It seemed as if everyone here, Hongjoong included, knew a bunch of things about him even without talking to or ever meeting them before.

He just grunted in response as Hongjoong helped him to his feet, his movements as swift and gentle as always. Hongjoong also kept close to Seonghwa as Miss Suh led them out, the cold hall immediately dousing his skin with numerous goosebumps.

Like a basic hospital waiting room, people either sat on the benches provided or loitered around, and Seonghwa had to wonder if they were human or if they were Variants instead. It was hard to tell, and the vibrant lights were making his eyes hurt.

"Are you okay?" Hongjoong softly asked as soon as Miss Suh was finally out of earshot, his hand resting on the small of Seonghwa's back.

"I got nearly killed by a Mon trying to save a classmate, and now I just discovered I'm a 'Natural-born' Variant which apparently my mother had been when she was alive," Seonghwa replied. It was a pathetic attempt at cracking a joke as he sounded rather sarcastic and bitter about the whole thing. "And now a crazy doctor wants me pick up where she left off."

"You don't _have_ to, you know?" Hongjoong said, stopping the taller in his tracks. When their eyes met, Hongjoong's jaw hardened as if he was internally beating himself up over something. "You actually have a choice -- something a number of us didn't get the privilege of having."

The shorter's words rang in Seonghwa's head, and he gulped. "What do you mean by that?"

Hongjoong took Seonghwa by the hand and pulled him close, making the taller almost choke on his words while inhaling his sweet scent. "Sorry," he lowly muttered to some other person, and that was when Seonghwa realized they'd been in someone's way.

Seonghwa tried to fight off his embarrassment, but he was pretty sure his rosy ears gave it away. "H-Hongjoong." He felt like slapping himself in the face at the way he was stammering.

Hongjoong _did_ notice, just like Seonghwa had predicted. He faintly smiled, studying Seonghwa's face for a while before continuing. "...When Miss Suh talked about you being born with your power, unlike the others," his smile disappeared, "she meant Yunho and I. We'd been... _experimented_ on before coming here, and...and that's how we got our powers."

Hongjoong spoke cautiously, slowly, like that would lessen the severity of his words. It was obvious he didn't want to keep talking about it.

"I'm sorry," Seonghwa mumbled, feeling ashamed of himself for acting out and being all entitled about the discovery of his powers when Hongjoong and Yunho were both probably _forced_ to have theirs in the first place. "Crap. I feel like shit now."

Hongjoong shook his head, but his eyes held a heaviness in them that Seonghwa couldn't describe. "Nah, no need to apologize. It's all in the past and can't be changed. What I _don't_ want, though, is for you to feel pressured or whatever into doing this because of what Miss Suh said about your mother. You don't need to agree or do _anything_ , in fact. I think that would be best."

Seonghwa mulled over the shorter's words for a second, until one thing stuck out to him the most. He faced Hongjoong, quickly noticing the latter's eyes on him and him alone. He was just so adoringly _attentive_ at times that it led to the abundance of butterflies in Seonghwa's stomach every single time he did that.

"What?" Hongjoong asked. At that moment, Seonghwa wanted to run his fingers down his brown hair and kiss him. But they were in public, and the idea of kissing at a hospital didn't exactly scream 'romantic'.

So Seonghwa decided to go for the next best thing, which was to tease the shorter to try and lighten the atmosphere. Maybe it was because the dark look in Hongjoong's eyes was as clear as day, or maybe it was because Seonghwa needed something to distract himself from the many thoughts about his mother currently circling his head. Maybe it was both.

"I now know why you don't want me to join. At least, I _think_ I do," Seonghwa hypothesized. "It's 'cause you just can't _stand_ the thought of me getting hurt in any way."

And Hongjoong went right along with it, eager to change the subject. "Oh, really? How'd you figure that out?"

Chills descended Seonghwa's back with the way Hongjoong was now looking at him. His stare alone oozed a heated tenderness, and fuzzy warmth built up in Seonghwa's stomach. He was well aware the shorter _knew_ just what he was doing.

"Just a guess," was Seonghwa's reply, eyes falling on Hongjoong's soft, parted lips. At that moment, he had the insane temptation to hold Hongjoong's face and steal a kiss -- or _anything_ that would satisfy the chaotic thrumming of his heart. But, before he could plan on it or even act it out for that matter, something up ahead caught his attention.

That something was standing still in the center of the hall, swimming in nothing but darkness. Its presence ignited a frightening sense of dread in Seonghwa, and before he could make it known that a Mon had _somehow_ made its way inside the area, the shadow looked up, making him realize that it wasn't a Mon _at all_.

Seonghwa couldn't even see half of its face due to the wide-brimmed hat and mask it had on, but its narrowed dark eyes pulsated with unmistakable sick amusement that immediately reminded Seonghwa of the figure that'd tried to attack him at that tower in Flora.

The shadow's eyes seemed to twinkle mischievously, as if it was _happy_ Seonghwa remembered it. But that moment of cordiality didn't last long, though. In a second, wicked orange flames shot out of its limbs, slamming against the walls and racing all over the ceiling.

" _Seonghwa_ ," Hongjoong's voice entered his head, calling out to him, but it was like Seonghwa's entire body had stuck to one place. He couldn't stop staring at the quickly approaching shadow, the fire and smoke in the air filling his lungs and trapping him in a state of terror.

The shadow continued to walk until it stopped right in front of Seonghwa and Hongjoong, a sea of flames now encircling them. Up close, it's eyes were still as hooded and as dark as ever, and now they were trained on Hongjoong.

" _I'll destroy him,_ " it said, voice so familiar yet all distorted like a multitude of people were trying to speak the same thing at the same time. But it still made a deep-rooted fear pierce Seonghwa's heart.

The dark haired male moved in front of Hongjoong, causing the shadow to watch him again. His chest felt excruciatingly tight as if someone had gripped his heart and refused to let it go, and he felt seconds away from toppling over.

The shadow just laughed, low and merciless and infuriating, but Seonghwa could do nothing but watch.

Hongjoong clutched his wrist and called his name once more, and like a switch Seonghwa suddenly became _awake_. The hall's lights were back to normal, and most importantly, there was no terrifying shadow or fire. _Did I just imagine all that?_ He couldn't help but think.

Hongjoong, however, looked worried. And stressed out. _Extremely_ stressed out.

"Hwa, what the hell just happened there?" He questioned, voice revealing how affected he'd gotten over the whole thing.

Seonghwa inhaled a couple breaths, glad he no longer felt suffocated. "I'm sorry. I just -- it's nothing."

Hongjoong didn't look like he believed him. Instead, his frown only deepened. "You're lying."

"Chill out, _dad_ ," Seonghwa aimed for a joke, flashing the shorter boy an award-winning smile in an attempt to divert his attention. "I'm fine, I promise. Now, can you _pretty-please_ take me home before it gets any more late?"

Hongjoong still frowned, but his golden eyes grew a lot more gentle. "Fine, whatever."

Seonghwa beamed even with all the thoughts about tonight plaguing his mind, from saving Mira, to discovering that his mother had been a Variant, to that burning shadow that he had no idea if he'd imagined or not. He (again) had to sort everything out with Mingi, which would lead him to lie about something (again). All in all, he knew he wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep tonight.

⛓️

Mingi should've known Seonghwa had been lying about calling his dad, but yet again he'd given his friend the benefit of the doubt; something he'd been doing far too much these days. He'd done the same thing whenever Seonghwa said he was fine, or when he'd say he needed to do something only for Mingi to catch him with _Hongjoong_ again. 

And honestly, it stung. A lot. But Mingi didn't want to seem like the clingy friend or burden Seonghwa with his questions or curiosities. He wanted to pretend as if everything was still okay, as if Seonghwa was still that boy from long ago that would run to him whenever things went wrong, or whenever anything bothered him, really. 

And as Mingi sat there in his seat, fiddling absently with his coffee straw, he found himself wishing that things could've gone back to they were in the beginning, even if that sounded extremely selfish of him. Sure, Seonghwa would still remain oblivious to Mingi's feelings for him, but at least he'd be _there_ , not running off at every chance he got.

  
He couldn't figure out the exact moment Seonghwa began spending more and more time with Hongjoong, but he certainly hadn't expected it. But then again, Hongjoong had this type of charm that drew others in. He wasn't like everyone else, _unlike_ Mingi.

Mingi took out his phone and stared at it for a bit, wondering if it'd be a good decision to call Seonghwa. Maybe the shorter did in fact get caught up in something with his dad, but a thought in the depths of his mind told him that was most likely _not_ the case.

 _Seonghwa's probably with Hongjoong again, and you know it_ , he thought with a frown. At that point in time he felt angry, furious that Hongjoong just had to come along and enrapture Seonghwa's total attention in such a short period of time. Hell, it _frustrated_ Mingi even, because he could see the way Seonghwa _looked_ at Hongjoong at times. He knew it all too well. How could he not when he'd spent nearly his whole life staring at his best friend in that same way?

The nightly breeze was cold on Mingi's skin, but it couldn't alleviate the outright _painful_ tugging in his chest. He wanted to go home and hide under the covers of his bed, wallowing in his misery until night passed and he faced Seonghwa at school the next morning with a forced smile on his face that the shorter wouldn't ever suspect.

Maybe Mingi could occupy himself with some ice cream once he returned home, and try not to think about Seonghwa and Hongjoong so much.

Someone then sat inside the chair Seonghwa had previously occupied, but they did it so quietly that it barely gained a reaction out of Mingi who was still stuck inside his thoughts.

"...Hi."

Mingi nearly dropped his empty iced cappuccino, but the container ended up rolling all the way across the table, only for a hand to stop it.

It was then Mingi looked up, shock embedded in his gaze once he recognized that same pair of blue eyes from that store back then. He remembered what had taken place between him and Seonghwa that time, and that excrutiating tug in his chest came back.

"Sorry," the new person was apologizing, his fluffy pink hair swaying a little with the breeze. "I almost made you drop your coffee."

Mingi's neck burned, all of a sudden a bit nervous to look directly at the taller male. "No, uh, it's fine. It's empty anyway."

"Oh. Right." The familiar stranger nodded. Mingi couldn't help but brave a glance his way, noticing his deep blue eyes and the way his long-sleeved lavender sweater made the colour stand out a lot more.

 _Is that your real eye colour?_ Mingi was tempted to ask, but he decided against it. After all, he barely knew this guy, and he didn't want to seem rude.

The blue-eyed boy tapped his fingers on the table, appearing to contemplate hard over something. With his soft, longish hair framing his babyish face, as well as his strangely welcoming and far from threatening aura, Mingi thought he resembled a cuddly puppy for whatever reason.

"Are you okay?" The boy finally asked, his unanticipated question causing Mingi to blink.

"What?"

"I mean," the taller rubbed his neck, their gazes now meeting, "you look kind of lonely."

Mingi couldn't stop himself from letting out a disbelieving chuckle. "Wow. It's _that_ obvious, huh."

The other boy looked nothing close to amused, however. He looked... _worried_ for him instead, which didn't fail to catch Mingi off-guard. "Do you wanna talk about anything? I'm here to listen."

A strange feeling welled up inside of Mingi, one he didn't like. "I don't even know you."

"I'm Yunho." 'Yunho' introduced, hardly looking deterred by Mingi's statement.

Mingi bit his lip, feeling a bit better after he learnt Yunho's name. "...My name's Mingi."

Yunho's blue eyes dazzled, reminding Mingi of the deep sea. "I know."

Once again, Mingi was taken aback. "What? How do you know me?"

"It's not as weird as it sounds, trust me," Yunho's grin was just like the rest of him: friendly and meek. "I know your name since I'm friends with Seonghwa."

If this were any other day, Mingi wouldn't have believed Yunho. He would've packed up his stuff and left right then, because the way Yunho looked at him made it seem like he'd known about him for quite some time even when this was only their second time meeting. But with the way tonight was turning out, Mingi didn't doubt anything anymore.

Yunho's eyes were still on him, monitoring his actions. "Are you mad?"

"No." Mingi tried to laugh, but all that left him was a disappointed sounding exhale. "Why would I be mad at him having other friends apart from me? I'm just a little...irritated with the way he keeps hiding stuff from me, that's all." He looked at Yunho, not knowing why he was spilling all this to him. "It sounds dumb, I'm sorry."

Yunho shook his head, leaning over the table. He wasn't doing something out of the ordinary, but Mingi paid more attention to it than he needed. "It's not. I'm sorry it's currently like this, but will it make you feel better if I said he has a reason for keeping those things from you?"

His words piqued Mingi's interest. "A reason?"

"Yep," Yunho quickly replied with a giddy nod. He already seemed so _different_ from Seonghwa with the way he carried himself. Where Seonghwa was composed, usually thinking things over before actually implementing them, Yunho appeared to act out as he wanted. Mingi, once more, had no idea why he was even thinking about that. "It's something I can't really tell you."

Mingi laughed, or at least attempted to, but yet again, it failed to lighten the atmosphere. "Fine, whatever. At least it's not drugs... Right?"

Now it was _Yunho's_ turn to laugh, and his was real. Under this lighting his eyes appeared like ice glaciers, and Mingi had the thought to ask him about them again.

"It's not funny," Mingi said, but Yunho kept chuckling, all cute and childlike. An embarrassed pink spread across Mingi's cheeks. "I'm being genuinely serious, okay? I just need Seonghwa to be safe."

"Don't worry. He's not doing drugs, nor is he doing anything illegal for that matter," Yunho replied, sniggering a bit to himself.

Mingi exhaled a relieved sigh. Though this was only the second time he'd met Yunho, the guy seemed trustworthy enough. Which meant he was trustworthy enough to answer his next question. "Is...Seonghwa with Hongjoong right now?"

Yunho's smile slowly dissipated. He stroked his neck, looking hesitant. "...Yes."

The taller's words shouldn't have hurt this much, yet they did. _Truly_. But Mingi tried his best not to let it show on his face, biting hard on his lip to distract himself from the way his heart painfully throbbed inside his chest.

He must not have hid it well though, because next thing he knew Yunho was scooting close to him -- but not close enough to invade his personal space.

"Hey," the taller boy sounded sympathetic, "it's okay. Let's talk about something else."

Mingi shut his eyes. He couldn't think, couldn't say anything. The invisible anchor weighing down his body made him feel like he was going to collapse in mere seconds. And the worst part was that he couldn't even get rid of it. It was something he fucking _hated_.

"We could go somewhere else if you want, and talk about a bunch of things that you like to do. We can talk about _you_ ," Yunho was saying, stuck in that awkward phase of wanting to physically comfort Mingi but not wanting to overstep any boundaries.

"I just wanna go home right now," Mingi said.

"I'll walk you." Yunho's statement sounded more like a question.

Mingi stared at the other boy, trying to figure out if he had some sort of ulterior motive. "Why? Did... did Seonghwa ask you to do it?"

If Yunho had picked up on the accusatory undertone in Mingi's voice, he didn't comment on it. He just smiled, staring at Mingi like he _understood_ him. "No, I did. I mean -- I didn't ask myself, I just decided a couple seconds ago to walk with you when you asked me that question. Ah, I'm rambling again. Sorry."

Mingi shook his head as he stood up. "It's okay. I guess it wouldn't hurt to walk home with you. I just hope I won't regret it."

Yunho copied him, before slinging the small bag Mingi had brought along for tonight over his shoulder, to the shorter boy's shock.

"My bag..."

"I'm volunteering to hold it for you," Yunho said. "It's basically weightless, so it's no biggie."

"Uh, thanks." It was so dumb, but Mingi couldn't stop dwelling on the fact that this was one of the rare moments someone had ever offered to carry something for him. He'd done it a lot for others, especially Seonghwa, but others just assumed he didn't need help with anything when in fact at some points, he really fucking did.

"I think carrying your bag means I now get the invitation to lift your burdens," Yunho said as soon as they left the entirety of Starbucks. "Like, I can tell you need someone to vent to, and I won't mind being that person."

Mingi blamed the tightness in his chest on how his emotions had gotten a hold of him earlier tonight. Yeah, that was the reason Yunho's words affected him more than necessary. That was the _only_ reason.

As a way to deflect the somberness in the air, he decided to make a joke out of it. "I dunno, dude. I rant a hell of a lot."

Yunho chuckled. "Oh, my brother's a chatterbox. I think I can handle you _just fine_."

Mingi shrugged. He guessed there was no harm in confiding in someone that wasn't Seonghwa or San for once. "I guess we have a deal, then."

"Deal." Yunho reached out a slim hand to shake. When Mingi did, he couldn't stop focusing on how the taller's hand felt just as soft and as comfy as it looked, as well as the way his palm almost seemed to totally drown his. Mingi had always thought his hands were big, but Yunho... Yunho's hands proved him wrong.

Mingi wasn't so sure how he should've felt about that.


	27. missing you

_tw: mentions of suicide_ _, child exploitation and abuse_

⛓️

  
It was Friday evening and Seonghwa's house was currently empty, which did nothing to quench the flurry of thoughts that had swarmed his head. Most of them were negative, urging him to back out of it as soon as he could, and maybe Seonghwa should have. After all, it'd been _years_ since he'd gone to the attic for this particular reason.

But, _something_ in him kept him in place and prevented him from going back down and shutting his plans for tonight out of his mind entirely. As he stood by the attic's opening, all that could replay in his head were memories of the past. It made his chest and heart hurt, the nostalgia he felt bordering on bitter.

 _You can go back now. You don't need to do this_ , he told himself, but for the first time in a while, he wasn't keen on abiding by his mind's words. He _wanted_ to do this, even when his emotions were threatening to spiral out of control.

Seonghwa exhaled a deep breath as soon as he finally entered the attic. The week had been tasking one so far with him trying to rid the thoughts about his mother and his supposed powers, as well as trying his best to not make Mingi any more suspicious of him. And surprisingly, convincing his best friend turned out to be the easiest of the three to accomplish. In fact, Mingi took his excuse in stride, not seeming all too bothered by his disappearance on Tuesday, which made Seonghwa a little more relieved than before.

But now, here he was in the heart of it all, inside a room that held everything that'd belonged to his mother. Despite the fact that he and his dad had moved places after his mother's death, his dad couldn't find it in his heart to give out, or throw away, the things she owned. So the man had put them in the small attic, neatly stacked and nearly spotless.

Seonghwa's feet felt like they'd sunk into the floor. It was like his body just _refused_ to take a step further, and for a second the urge to listen to it was stronger than ever. But, Seonghwa pushed through; forced himself to keep moving.

 _One...two...three_... Seonghwa mentally counted every step he made as he fought his hardest to remain composed. His eyes ran all over the dark room, noticing the many books and drawings tucked into the corners. His mother had always loved art.

Deciding against switching on the lights, Seonghwa inhaled yet another deep breath and knelt down beside the first set of closed boxes he spotted. His hands lightly trembled as he opened the first one, careful not to exert too much force because the last thing he wanted was to damage anything. Even with him being surrounded by things that had belonged to the woman who'd raised him once upon a time, he still felt like a stranger here.

 _It'd been so long_...

A lump settled in Seonghwa's throat as soon as the first box was fully opened. It was the one with the pictures, all sorts of them depicting their early lives they'd all had together as a family of three. _Of course_. Something harsh twisted inside Seonghwa's chest at the mere sight of them.

Every part of Seonghwa screamed to quickly shut the box and just move along with his day. He could've walked out of there, maybe enter his room and call Mingi or something. Maybe he could've even texted Hongjoong and have the shorter boy distract him from everything else. He could've done all that, even more. Yet, his body remained rooted there, unable to leave.

His thumb ran over the smooth surface of the first picture. It was a framed one, showcasing him as a toddler all bundled up with puffy cheeks and everything, his features twisted with a huge frown even when he was situated between sheets of bright snow. Seonghwa could only faintly remember that time as it'd been so long since it'd happened, but he had no idea why he looked so close to crying.

It was then he remembered his mother telling him one night during summer that he'd used to get all pouty and cry for no reason as a baby. At that memory of her, Seonghwa felt the lump in his throat increase.

There were _lots_ of pictures in there -- especially of him as a kid-- so Seonghwa couldn't go through them all. But he stopped on a particular one, his pulse quickening at the image.

His baby self was there in the photo, snug in between a younger version of his father and his mother. His dad was feeding him something, and his mother had been smiling big and wide, appearing to have taken the picture herself. It was times like these where Seonghwa got awestruck at the resemblance he and his mother had. He'd gotten his build and his dark hair from his father, but he had his mother's round eyes, nose and her exuberant smile. Even her face shape was the same as his.

Looking at her felt like he was looking at _himself_ , but soon enough the wonderment eased away, leaving aches and wounds that were now opening up after years and years of bottling them up.

Because now, _now_ he could see it. Maybe it was because he'd grown older, a little more experienced. Maybe it was because he'd seen things and had gotten more exposed to the outside world and its disappointments. Or maybe it was because he'd seen it countless times on his own face when he'd been trying to cope with the loss of his mother.

Because all he could witness while staring into his mother's eyes was dullness. _Nothing_. Seonghwa began to recount his most precious moments with her, remembering the way he used to get amazed at her positivity and her eyes that never seemed to lose their sparkle. But as he replayed them again, looking deeper into the details, he began to notice the many times her smiles had been _forced,_ and that maybe, just maybe, those sparkles in her crinkled eyes were actually _tears_.

How could Seonghwa not have noticed? He felt like blaming himself like he'd done years ago, but the realized he'd been just a kid when it happened. He wouldn't have known anything back then because _everything_ seemed alright on the surface, and as a kid, you always seemed to ignore the things that mattered most in favour of video games, or homework, or hanging out with your friends whenever you could. Things _shouldn't_ have been complicated as a child, and to Seonghwa back then, that had been the case until it _wasn't_.

He'd known less of his mother's inner thoughts and feelings like he'd thought he did. He hadn't even _known_ she was a Variant until recently. It made him feel...useless, because why couldn't he have been more observant of the signs? Why did he choose to get in trouble as a kid and worry his mother instead of being there for her?

But of course, he'd been just a kid. He didn't know anything was wrong until the world he knew of as home came crashing down before he could even catch his breath.

That day flashed behind Seonghwa's eyelids as soon as he shut his eyes and attempted to steady himself. The memory itself was so vivid, so fresh that it felt like it'd taken place only yesterday.

Seonghwa remembered that elatedness he'd felt rushing into his old house after spending some time over at Mingi's that December as clear as day. He'd been excitedly searching for his mother at that time, eager to tell her about the fun things he'd done with his best friend only for him to step into find her sound asleep in the bedroom she'd shared with his father. At least, he'd _thought_ she'd been sleeping.

But soon enough, he found out she wasn't waking up. Obviously, Seonghwa blamed her unresponsiveness on her just being tired, but after a while, he'd begun to get a little worried. He'd then thought of Ms Hong's science classes, especially when she'd taught the students how to check for pulses. Realization gradually set in when he'd checked his mother's pulse and discovered she had _none_.

Everything passed by in a blur after that. After learning his mother had ended her own life by overdosing, nothing seemed to make much sense anymore.

Seonghwa liked to think he could've done something to stop it, or even reverse time and prevent it all from happening in the first place, but deep down he knew it was impossible. In the beginning, he'd often caught himself wondering why his mother had chosen to take her life. Was she not satisfied with what she had? Were he and his father not enough? Why did she have to go along with it? Looking at it all now, it'd been out of his hands, and hell, he was tired of asking questions he wouldn't be able to get the answers to. Now, he'd mostly accepted this reality, the one his mother was no longer a part of.

His father didn't take her death lightly, and Seonghwa suspected he'd probably never get over it either. Witnessing the mental and physical deterioration of the man had taken a toll on Seonghwa, causing him to lock up whatever he felt and experienced. Whenever the man had lashed out and blamed him for letting his mother die, anger and despair lacing his words, Seonghwa would never dare let his emotions show or allow himself to cry.

Despite that his father had already apologized countless times for what he'd done in the past, Seonghwa would often think about them and wonder if they were in fact _true_.

Seonghwa swallowed thickly as he looked at another picture. It wasn't framed, but it was another picture that showcased him and his mother together. He was smiling -- for once -- the baby pink scarf wrapped around his neck quite similar to the one his mom had herself. They were holding hands, and it was dark, the roads wet.

The lamps lighting up the streets shone into the area, shimmering soft gold over their grinning faces.

Seonghwa flipped the picture around once he took note of something behind it, and tears rapidly clogged his vision as soon as he saw the familiar scribble of his mother's handwriting.

_I hope you can always smile as bright as this in the future, my little one. I hope we'll keep being happy together, with many more joys to celebrate!_

_Always know that I love you so, so much_ _._

_Mom_ _♡♡_

  
Seonghwa dropped the picture and sunk his head on his knees, his emotions finally getting the best of him. As he wrapped his arms around himself, trying to be as small as he possibly could, it was like _everything_ \-- from his racing heart and the tears dripping down his chin, to his trembling fingers -- had been struck into flames, encroaching him with destructive, multiplying heat.

He _couldn't_ stop crying, and he hated it. He hated it so much. He was in pain, pain he could've easily avoided if he'd just listened to himself and left the attic as soon as he could. But he'd chosen to be stubborn instead, and now he was paying the price.

Seonghwa couldn't deny it any longer. He missed his mom. He missed her so much that there was no word in the world to describe how much he yearned to see her again, even it ended up being only once. He wanted to hug her and hold her hand for one last time, wanted to have her gently rock him to sleep. He wanted to experience that feeling of having her ruffle his dark locks as they laughed about a joke together, happy and carefree and in the moment. God, he wanted it all again.

_He wanted his mother back again._

"Seonghwa?"

Before Seonghwa could lift up his head, the person was already crouched next to him, their hand on his back.

" _D-Dad_..." Seonghwa whispered, not caring anymore about the way he appeared or the numerous pictures of him and his mom scattered all around. He just needed to not be alone right now.

His father held him close -- their first real hug in _years_ \-- and Seonghwa finally allowed himself to lean into the man's shoulder. He still continued to sob, and he was sure his face was all gross and red and stuffy, but his father didn't once loosen his hold on him.

"I m-miss her." Seonghwa sounded hoarse and miserable. "I w-wish she was h-here."

"I miss her too," his father answered. His voice was noticeably tired, which was the norm lately, but Seonghwa couldn't bring himself to criticize it. He was tired as well. "But... You have me, right?"

Seonghwa looked at his father; really _looked_ at him, and the man smiled in response, although it was clear he was close to crying too.

Seonghwa slowly nodded, choosing to believe his father this once. He inhaled a deep breath, the pounding in his chest a little lighter now. "And...you have me."

⛓️

"Seonghwa, oh my god, are you okay?"

The aforementioned male blinked, eyes settling right on Hongjoong. The shorter's hands were cupping his face, his gaze so alarmed it took the taller male aback for a second. But, then he remembered what'd prompted it all.

He'd talked to his dad for a bit, only to fall asleep and wake up in an ashen metallic room that only had one exit. He rushed out of there, of course, but then he was quickly met by stagnant water that swallowed his legs up to his knees. Still, he continued to wade through until he came across what appeared to be some sort of...examination room. It'd been dark as well with static, broken lights and numerous corroded equipments.

Then he'd seen Hongjoong strapped onto a platform, the binds digging horrifyingly deep into his skin, and at that point in time Seonghwa could no longer control himself. He'd wasted no more time and tried to get Hongjoong out of that death trap, panic burning through his bloodstream. He kept panicking even when Hongjoong awoke and broke himself off, which in turn brought them to this moment.

"I'm okay," Hongjoong tried again, but Seonghwa's eyes could only run over the faint bruises that'd already formed over the smaller's exposed arms. "You just happened to end up in one of my nightmares."

  
"I'm sorry," Seonghwa apologized. "I just -- my dad and I managed to have a decent conversation for the first time in months, and I kinda had a rough evening."

Hongjoong lowered his hands to wrap them around the taller's shoulders. He seemed determined not to let him go, and honestly, Seonghwa didn't mind it. "I'm happy for you and your dad, but what do you mean by a 'rough evening'?"

This was supposed to be Hongjoong's _nightmare_ , but with the boy's body so closs and his warm honey eyes trained solely on him, Seonghwa felt protected. He maintained their eye contact, slowly finding it easier to open up about tonight.

"It's about...my mom," he bit his lip, thinking about how he should word his next sentences. "You already know she died. But she'd... ended her life, and -- and I decided to look through our family photos for whatever reason. And then I may or may not have cried, and then my dad showed up and hugged me and I told him I missed her." Seonghwa paused, letting his gaze drop. "Sorry -- I'm rambling a lot aren't I?"

"Maybe," Hongjoong teased, but the worry had returned to his pretty eyes. "I'm sorry that happened."

"There's no reason for you to apologize, so it's fine."

"But I feel bad," Hongjoong said, stroking Seonghwa's dark hair that had already started growing longer, which the taller boy wholeheartedly welcomed. "You didn't deserve any of that."

"Well, I dunno," Seonghwa allowed himself to grin, "maybe I can get a little kiss...?"

"Wow, you missed me _that_ much?" Hongjoong asked, his smile wide and his eyes flashing with mischief.

Seonghwa only nodded, tugging softly at Hongjoong's loose, black shirt to pull him even _closer_. "I always do."

Hongjoong's lips were on his in less than a second, so achingly tender it had Seonghwa's heart skipping multiple beats.

He knotted Hongjoong's hair with his hands, feeling the shorter boy shiver underneath his touch. It was something Seonghwa hadn't expected, but committed to memory nonetheless.

Seonghwa soon had Hongjoong backed up against the wall, the shorter's soft giggles like heaven on earth as he sucked and kissed his skin, working on making him feel good. Hongjoong's touches were pure, unadulterated bliss, and his kisses were like magic, and for a while, Seonghwa was happy with it all.

But as the minutes stretched on, Hongjoong started getting a little less responsive.

"I wish we were somewhere else _but_ here, Hwa," he uttered, and truthfully, Seonghwa agreed with him.

"Does teleportation work here?"

Hongjoong shook his head, beaming when Seonghwa absently twirled a lock of his brown hair with his fingers. "Unfortunately, it doesn't."

"I remember Yeosang saying I can Dreamwalk," Seonghwa said. "Maybe I can dreamwalk us out of here."

Hongjoong's golden eyes sparkled with anticipation as he eagerly clapped. "Come on, give it a shot."

"Where do you want to be the most right now?" Seonghwa asked, the shorter's enthusiasm spreading over to him.

"Your bedroom."

Pink shone on Seonghwa's cheeks. He scratched his neck. "R-Really?"

Hongjoong ruffled his hair. "Woah, you're so fucking cute it's _insane_. But...if that's what you want..."

Shockingly, Seonghwa brought them over to the dream version of his room as a result of only thinking about it. Then, they both laid on his bed, unashamedly making out again for some time before the atmosphere became a lot more serious.

With Seonghwa's head nestled right on Hongjoong's heartbeat, fingers languidly trailing patterns over his collarbone and chest, he listened attentively as Hongjoong began to disclose his earliest memories as a child. He never once lost his concentration as Hongjoong talked about being abandoned as a baby with no recollection of how his _real_ parents looked like until the Gathering gained information about them, as well as having to grow up in an orphanage as a result.

"That orphanage was, quite frankly, nothing but trash," Hongjoong joked to try and lighten the mood, and when Seonghwa smiled he cupped the taller's face and rubbed his thumb over his cheek. "It'd been called Sunrise Orphanage, which was ironic since I barely got to see a real sunrise since I had to be kept inside most of the time. No family wanted to adopt me, so I made friends with the other kids that weren't wanted as well so I could feel a little better about my situation. That was how I met Yunho."

"I _want you_ though," Seonghwa said, to which Hongjoong chuckled at.

"And I want _you_." Hongjoong winked, laughing when Seonghwa cringed. "Anyways, Yunho and hit it off instantly. He'd been such a quiet kid and never really talked much, which earned the attention of a couple bullies that loved to pick on him. I quickly fought them off and made them scared of me, and even when I got in trouble for it, at least Yunho was finally being left alone.

"He always liked following me around and got really talkative whenever we hung out, which made me _so happy_. We spent so much time together, went through all the good and the bad moments together, and it solidified our relationship." The adoring look in Hongjoong's eyes as he spoke about Yunho let Seonghwa know just how much he treasured his brother.

However, Hongjoong's smile faded as he spoke his next words. "When I was around nine and Yunho had just turned eight, we'd snuck out of the orphanage for a bit to see the stars before dinnertime. But we ended up never making it back. A group of people known as the _Red Owl_ had taken us."

Seonghwa held Hongjoong tighter than before. "You don't need to continue, Joong..."

Hongjoong grinned at the nickname. "I want to, though. I wanna get this off my chest once and for all."

He proceeded to speak of the horrendous experimentations he and Yunho had undergone with the countless other children and teens in the same position as them. He'd also talked out the dark matter called Mons that the mastermind of it all, Dr Choi, had implemented in his experiments as well. Seonghwa thought it was nothing short of wicked and barbaric.

"There were different labels, different categories that everyone was sperated into. Yunho and I were put under the 'aquatic section', and almost everyday we had to be put in water and tested on to force us to develop our powers. That horrible doctor and his workers genetically altered our DNA, and up until I was thirteen and the Gathering found out about their base, Yunho and I had to endure all of that."

Seonghwa didn't know what to say. Hongjoong and Yunho had gone through much worse than he could have ever imagined, and it broke his heart. "I'm so sorry you guys went through that. I really am."

Hongjoong laughed. "It's okay."

"No, it's not."

"Then...make me feel better?"

Seonghwa shortened the distance between them, and planted a chaste kiss on Hongjoong's forehead. "...Think of it as a 'well done' for getting through it all and coming out victorious... despite all the pain you'd gone through but never, ever deserved."

An odd, unfamiliar look crossed Hongjoong's features, and then he was biting hard on his lip and averting his stare, blinking repeatedly.

"Hongjoong, are you -- are you _crying_?"

"Nope!" Hongjoong exclaimed, covering his eyes with his hands. "I'm not crying. It's just allergies, I _swear_."

Seonghwa leaned in, holding Hongjoong's wrists. "Hey, it's okay. I won't judge you or anything. Heck, you saw _me_ crying too."

Hongjoong did not budge, but his sniffles were still heard.

"Aww, Joongie..." Seonghwa cooed. "Don't be shy..."

Hongjoong scoffed. "Shut up."

"I'll kiss you again if you let me see your face."

Hongjoong's hands fell, revealing his tearstained cheeks. "I didn't show my face because of what you said, by the way. My hands were just getting tired."

Seonghwa only hummed, wiping the shorter's tears away. Hongjoong kept staring elsewhere, his long lashes framing his glowing eyes. He looked so pretty. "You're still as handsome as ever, Hongjoong."

Hongjoong's lips jutted into a tiny pout. "Fuck... You're making me _feel things_ I never thought I could."

"You've made me feel things ever since I saw you that night." Seonghwa brought Hongjoong's hand to his lips and kissed it. "I'm so thankful, so _grateful_ you're in my life."

Hongjoong didn't respond, but he didn't need to. It was clear from his eyes and expression alone that Seonghwa meant so much to him too. They'd both faced their own share of hell in the past, but in the end they found each other, and that was all that mattered.


	28. inferno

_tw: mentions of anxiety/panic attack in second half of the chapter_

⛓️

Seonghwa bit his lip as he continued to stare right at Hongjoong, taking in and committing his every feature to memory. His eyes traced over the shape of his brows, to the slope of his nose, and then to his lips, which still looked as inviting as ever. But most of all, Seonghwa was transfixed by the warmth burning in Hongjoong's eyes, by those vibrant oranges and calming yellows dancing within his irises. Seonghwa could stare into them for as long as he was allowed and he would enjoy every single second of it.

Hongjoong had noticed; of course he had. Immediately, those mesmerizing eyes of his crinkled happily at the corners, setting free those fuzzy butterflies that began rapidly multiplying inside Seonghwa's body. It was a beautiful feeling that surprised him time and time again whenever he experienced it, but it was certainly one he could get used to. The fact that Hongjoong's stare alone could evoke such sensations within him was a testament to how much power the shorter held over him, and Seonghwa would be telling the greatest lie if he said he disliked it.

"What are you doing?" Hongjoong asked then. His smaller hands were absentmindedly fiddling with Seonghwa's, and there was a faint bashful lilt to his voice. He sounded... _shy_.

"I'm looking at you," Seonghwa answered, unable to wipe off the horrid dopey smile that had undoubtedly stretched over his face. This was all so _new_ ; he'd never acted, nor felt like this towards anyone before. His chest felt nanoseconds away from bursting into blinding rays of sunlight with how chirpy, elated and fond he was. "I mean -- I _like_ looking at you. So... I am."

Hongjoong giggled, scooting closer to their crossed knees were now tangled. He drew nearer until their noses brushed, and then flashed a big smile when he witnessed the way Seonghwa held in his breath, like he was waiting, _anticipating_ the contact between their lips.

Seonghwa felt himself melting like putty when Hongjoong's lips slotted against his, the urge to just let himself sink in and just...let the shorter _take over_ practically eating him alive. But Hongjoong, being the little tease he was, pulled back just as the older had begun to loosen up, and honestly Seonghwa _did not_ appreciate that.

Hongjoong laughed at the way Seonghwa literally chased after his lips, his eyes closed with his dark lashes fanning his blemish-free skin. "Am I crazy if I say you're kinda obsessed with my kisses now?"

Seonghwa opened those gorgeous eyes of his just to playfully glare at him. "I'm not obsessed with your kisses."

"Oh yeah?" Hongjoong had started moving closer to the corner of Seonghwa's bedroom wall, and Seonghwa had no intention of letting him out of his sight.

"Yeah," Seonghwa admitted. The thin shirt Hongjoong had on was doing him wonders, and it felt velvety soft to the touch as he let his arms linger around the dip of Hongjoong's waist. The shorter boy was even softer, his lowered body temperature sending welcomed shivers up Seonghwa's spine. "I'm obsessed with all of you, not just your kisses."

Once again tonight, Hongjoong looked to be at a loss for words. But, in a moment's notice, he'd reverted back to his natural self. "Park Seonghwa, are you perhaps _flirting_ with me?"

"Mhm." The taller boy kissed Hongjoong's cheek. "And what about it?"

"Nothing," Hongjoong grinned. "It's just...I dunno, a little unbelievable that you're this... _open_ with me now. Maybe it's because we're currently dreaming...?"

Seonghwa thought about it, and maybe Hongjoong was right. Maybe the fact that they were alone was the main thing that added to his bravado. But it wasn't the _only_ thing. "A little? I mean, the fact that we're literally sharing a dream and being aware of it is so surreal in itself, but I just... I'm really happy right now. With you."

If glee was a person, Hongjoong would've matched it to a T. Seonghwa felt his face flush hotly as Hongjoong entwined their fingers. "Aw, that's so cute. I can't blush anymore but your words _do_ make me feel like a middle-schooler in love."

 _Middle-schooler in love?_ Seonghwa's face burned even more, but he tried hard not to let it show. Tried hard not to stutter or stumble all over his words. "Well..." He slightly squeezed Hongjoong's smaller palms, "what you did earlier was pretty concerning."

"What I did earlier?" Hongjoong mimicked with a raised brow. The mischief bubbling inside his eyes basically exposed the fact that he knew just what Seonghwa was referring to, but he still played naive.

"You pulled away when we were just getting into the kiss," Seonghwa deadpanned, pushing on the most serious look he could muster. If he laughed now, it'd ruin his entire plan. "It's a crime punishable by law, in fact."

Hongjoong snorted, seeming incredibly amused. "What kind of punishment?"

" _A million kisses._ " Seonghwa literally pounced on the shorter boy at that moment, caging him with his arms over the bed as he swarmed him with numerous pecks over his skin. It was obvious Hongjoong had not expected that if his surprised squeal was anything to go by, but he still entertained it; still laughed out loud at Seonghwa's display and eagerly returned his kisses whenever necessary.

"That tickles," Hongjoong breathed with a relaxed grin once Seonghwa slowed down, never breaking the pulsing eye contact between them.

Seonghwa, for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night, found himself observing and admiring Hongjoong again. As he alternated between getting lost in the younger's eyes and being awed by those one or two eyelashes of his that were differently coloured from the rest, Hongjoong mouthed something that he didn't quite catch.

"Hmm?" Seonghwa blinked, embarrassment swirling in his gut when he realized he'd been caught staring far too long at Hongjoong again. But it wasn't his fault. Like always, with every second that passed Hongjoong looked all the more breathtaking, all the more attractive. He was so _beautiful_ , and with the way he was now staring him down, Seonghwa felt like he might just combust.

"You wanna tell me something," was Hongjoong's reply.

Seonghwa's breathing shallowed at the minimal distance between them, and he smiled when a sudden thought popped into his head. He stationed himself where he was, while Hongjoong dived in, as unsuspecting as ever. Just before their lips could graze, Seonghwa fell to the back and watched with barely contained zeal when the shorter boy almost toppled over trying to kiss him.

Seonghwa's smirk broadened at the oddly magnetic sound of Hongjoong whining. "How does it feel now, huh?"

"You fucking tease." Hongjoong attempted to kiss Seonghwa again, only for the taller to swiftly dodge him. "Aish. You're lucky you're insanely hot."

Seonghwa laughed, before walking over to his window. He could feel Hongjoong's curious eyes on him. "Let's go up to the roof."

"We can do that?"

"You must've forgotten you've got a seasoned dreamwalking boyfriend." Seonghwa's words left his lips so easily he it took a minute before he realized what he _actually_ said.

Hongjoong stood beside him, the pale moonlight highlighting his gleaming golden eyes as well as his shirt that faintly hung off one shoulder, exposing smooth skin that Seonghwa spent an _embarrassing_ amount of time ogling. "Boyfriend, huh?"

Seonghwa swallowed, before pulling up his window. Like reality, cold wind steadily streamed in. "I-I didn't say anything."

Hongjoong filed his hands through his chestnut hair. " _Suuure_." He pushed himself out of the window to float in the air, reminding Seonghwa of that time so long ago that Hongjoong had snuck up on him to take him to that dimension. Back then, they'd been strained acquaintances at best and strangers at worst, and they'd always argued and got each other so mad that Seonghwa could've never envisioned they would end up the way they were at this moment. In fact, it'd seemed impossible at first.

But as Seonghwa grabbed onto the hand that Hongjoong had held out to him, everything seemed to fall into place again. Like it was only _natural_ he'd ended up falling for Hongjoong.

Just like Seonghwa had suggested, they spent the rest of their dream together by lying on the roof and admiring the twinkling stars and peaceful night sky. Seonghwa finally revealed what he'd seen the first time he'd shown up in Hongjoong's dream, not at all comfortable with hiding that kind of information from him anymore.

"I tried to call out to you many times, but it was like there was this barrier there," Seonghwa added, glancing at the boy beside him to gauge his reaction.

"That explains why I felt a little less... _alone_?" Hongjoong's brows furrowed in contemplation. "I mean -- whenever I get those nightmares, I usually wake up in a terrible, terrible mood. But, it hadn't been the case that time around. I still felt a bit under the weather, but I was better at handling it."

Seonghwa's heart skipped a beat as soon as he could feel Hongjoong staring right at him. A small, nervous laugh bubbled out of his throat. "What?"

"I'm happy my boyfriend has magical powers to make me feel all better."

Seonghwa pretended to look disgusted. "That's _so_ corny."

"Hey," Hongjoong poked his nose, snickering when a pink-faced Seonghwa swatted his finger away. "Speaking of powers... Mind if I see your pyrokinesis again?"

"I have no idea how to generate it," Seonghwa admitted. Of course, after that night where he'd learned about his and his mother's powers, he'd tried for a bit to see if his ability to control fire was in fact real and not just some twisted hallucination like that shadow he'd been seeing. But, nothing had happened, rendering every one of his attempts as failures.

"You can always try them again right now. Like, you can already dreamwalk -- which most people already _can't_ do -- so I bet your power's more than likely to work here," Hongjoong encouraged.

Seonghwa chewed his lip in thought. "You can control water like those waterbenders from the Last Airbender, right?"

Hongjoong chuckled. "Right."

"So you just think about it?"

"...Yeah, basically. But I also practised a lot to get better at it. _Wait_!" With a hurried gasp, Hongjoong sat up and brought his knees up to his chest. "I can like, teach you."

Seonghwa copied the shorter male, watching closely as Hongjoong extended his palm only for a ball of water to swim across it before he could even blink. With a slight twirl of Hongjoong's finger, the ball of water thinned out into specks of ice that glinted like crystals.

"I used to use gestures a lot when I'd first started my training, which helps as it makes you visualize everything better," Hongjoong explained. "But as time progressed, it became more of a mental thing. I mean -- it always _was_ , but now I've just learnt to rely more on it."

Hongjoong sighed. " _Aaand_ now I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Seonghwa smiled. "You are, but it's cute."

"You're cuter."

Seonghwa made a show of fake-barfing. " _Gross_." It was a huge lie though; Hongjoong's words and actions -- his _everything_ \-- made him so irrevocably _happy_. He felt like he was eternally stuck on cloud nine.

That pleasant feeling only intensified as time progressed, Hongjoong's arms finding their way around him as the boy demonstrated ways he could display his powers easier.

Often times Seonghwa got a little distracted with Hongjoong's hands clasping his, _especially_ when he could feel the shorter's soft breathing on his neck at certain intervals. But Hongjoong had never gotten mad or irritated or anything along those lines; he was patient and continued to shower Seonghwa with those loving gazes of his without a care in the world if Seonghwa caught him or not.

Seonghwa could barely contain his excitement when heat finally shimmered over his palms, dazzling flames soon flickering off of them.

"Yay!" Hongjoong clapped. "Now... Make them bigger."

Seonghwa thought about those small flames morphing into sizeable balls of fire, and just as seamlessly, the flames from his hands widened, shining orange hues everywhere around the two boys. It all seemed unreal, because here he was controlling _fire_ , and it didn't hurt at all or take much energy from him in the process.

Seonghwa clenched his hands, watching with awe as all the fire simultaneously died out with his movement. He opened them up again, his grin matching Hongjoong's when those bright orange flames shot out of his palms for the second time.

"Can you try any tricks with the flames?" Hongjoong looked just as enamoured by the sight as Seonghwa.

Seonghwa slowly nodded, too elated by all this to mutter a spoken response. He moved his left hand to the side to test out something, and just like he'd predicted, those flames followed after it. He braved a glance at Hongjoong, amazed by the way his eyes seemed to mirror the exact shades of the fire perfectly. Only...his eyes were more entrancing to look at.

"Come on," Hongjoong spoke, dropping Seonghwa back into reality. "I wanna see those tricks."

"Alright, alright your Highness," Seonghwa scoffed, a smile dancing on his lips.

Before Hongjoong could get the chance to retort, Seonghwa drew a shape with as much precision as he could muster, noting how silent Hongjoong appeared to be until he was finally finished with his project.

"Seriously?" Hongjoong's eyes shimmered with adoration. "You drew a heart. Sloppily too."

"Shut up," Seonghwa replied, the smile on his face unwavering. He admired his work levitating only a couple feet from them both; a blazing, burning visual representation of a love heart. It was chaotically pretty, and frankly, one of the boldest acts Seonghwa had ever done, but the look on Hongjoong's face assured him he was on the right path.

⛓️

From the moment Seonghwa woke up that Monday morning, he'd felt this strange and eerie sense of foreboding that would not leave no matter how hard he tried to rid himself of it. Even the sight of his father smiling and being more chatty than usual wasn't enough to decrease his nerves, which sucked, since it wasn't often he got to see the man in a light-hearted mood.

The anxiety worsened as soon as he entered the school bus and saw Mingi. The taller's grinning face shoved him further into that guilt that he'd gotten far too used to feeling by now, but like always, he pushed it all aside and returned a grin of his own, trying to convince Mingi he was okay.

But as Mingi readily conversed with him about the stuff he'd gotten done in the weekend, Seonghwa wouldn't stop thinking about the fact that he kept hiding things from him. Mingi didn't even know that he and Hongjoong were technically dating now, and the thought kept pounding away at Seonghwa's mind until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Mingi, I -- "

The bus rolled to a stop and students began to file out, creating a disruptive ruckus that both boys found themselves caught up in.

Classes begun, but Seonghwa's heart couldn't stop thundering under his ribs. Dread and panic shot into his veins, transforming into full-blown paranoia at a frightening pace.

Right then, as the teacher stepped out to get something, Seonghwa felt as if everything had gotten a thousand times hotter. Mingi continued to draft a graph beside him like normal -- like most of the others were doing at that moment -- so why was Seonghwa _burning up_?

Slowly but surely, the classroom started to turn like it'd been tilted to the side, and with each breath Seonghwa inhaled, the walls caved in more and more until everything narrowed with little to no space.

Mingi caught on quick. Seonghwa could feel his hand on his back, the taller no doubt asking him if he was feeling alright, but Seonghwa couldn't utter a single word. _He couldn't respond._ His body felt weak, sunken, his surroundings slowing down but rapidly increasing its temperature.

Then _it_ came. That same human-like silhouette that'd already started to haunt the darkest parts of Seonghwa's dreams, invoking nothing but terror whenever it showed up. And following after it were the flames that wasted no time in engulfing the first half of the classroom, reducing it to charred remains and smoke.

Deadly, large chains made of fire slashed out of the masked shadow's grip, boiling the atmosphere. Seonghwa's lungs felt like they were being ripped to shreds, and as the shadow gradually approached, he felt his knees give way.

He could hear his name being yelled, but he didn't listen, didn't bother hesitating or spending one more second in there. Soon enough he'd bolted out of the classroom, his lungs feeling like they were about to _explode_ altogether. His chest felt too tight for his own body, and all he could see when he closed his eyes were those toxic fumes and the wild, maniacal glint in that shadow's eyes.

Seonghwa began to run down the halls, not even giving himself the luxury to stop as his heart was still heavy and soaked with fear. He didn't stop even when his joints rippled with pain from overexertion, because he _knew_ he had to get away. He had to get away from _everything_.

"Seonghwa!"

Every breath Seonghwa took felt like he was inhaling needles. Thoughts and images of fire and destruction ravaged his mind, rendering him unreactive when a hand suddenly hauled him inside the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"Seonghwa. _Seonghwa_ ," the person continued to call, their tone getting more desperate as the seconds ticked on. "Seonghwa, _please_. I need you to look at me."

Seonghwa's eyes were enlarged, darting and through every nook and cranny of the bathroom to make sure that shadow, that _thing,_ was nowhere to be found. But even when it wasn't, the pressure in his chest did not cease.

" _Seonghwa, breathe_." Soft, cool hands held Seonghwa's head in place to keep his eyes from hurriedly searching the area, but Seonghwa's heart wouldn't calm down. "Take in a deep breath. I'm here. You can see me, right? And I'm fine. You and I, we're both okay."

Seonghwa forced himself to keep looking at Hongjoong's face. Yes, the shorter boy was there. His eyes were warm, yet scared, decorated with glitter that matched with his silver cashmere sweater. He was holding Seonghwa right now too, and he wasn't hurt. He was _fine_.

Seonghwa's muscles weakened as his loud heartbeat subdued. He let himself fall into Hongjoong's embrace, salty teardrops clinging to the corners of his eyes.

Hongjoong steadied him with no problem at all. "That's it, Hwa. Keep taking in deep breaths. You're already doing so well."

Seonghwa didn't have it in him to feel ashamed by this entire interaction. He was just so relieved and _glad_ Hongjoong was there. He brushed his lips against Hongjoong's, his panic gradually easing away when the smaller boy kissed him back in stride, gently combatting Seonghwa's apparent despair with tenderness and familiarity.

" _Hwa_!"

The door opened and in stepped Mingi.

Seonghwa's head throbbed with a vengeance at the taller's stunned expression. His limbs almost failed him, but Hongjoong's firm grip on his body prevented that from happening.

"S-Seonghwa..." Mingi's hand dropped, letting go of the singed paper he'd been holding.


	29. let you go

  
The silence in the air was _deafening_ , squeezing Seonghwa's already suffocating lungs. He couldn't stop staring at Mingi, at his friend's widened, shocked eyes and at the way the boy continued to stand completely still. He looked like he wasn't even breathing at all.

"What's going on?" Mingi's voice sounded faraway, directed solely at Seonghwa. His eyes were also trained on Seonghwa like he didn't even want to acknowledge Hongjoong, nor what he'd probably just seen.

Hongjoong acted first, spotting the scorched paper on the bathroom floor in the nick of time. Even with this though, he never stopped holding Seonghwa. "I need to get Seonghwa out of here right now. We'll explain everything to you later -- "

The shorter's words seemed to be the match that struck Mingi's actions to life, because in a second his body had grown more stiff, and his expression more confrontational. " _No_. What the hell is going on? _I need to know!"_

Seonghwa had never heard Mingi raise his voice like this in a long time, and it frightened him. The headache slamming away at his temples grew even worse, swelling his body with so much heat and pain he felt like he was being burnt alive.

"Stop fucking shouting. You're going to draw in attention," Hongjoong snapped through gritted teeth, but his words just set Mingi off even further.

"Maybe that's what's _needed_ right now!" Mingi yelled as he shifted his glare towards Seonghwa. A bitter smile spread across his face. "I'm so _sick_ of this, so fucking tired of you always _lying_ to me and spending time with _him_ behind my back, pretending there's nothing going on. ...And now I caught you kissing him in the bathroom, _fan-fucking-tastic_."

A cold, icy look fell over Hongjoong's features. "Shut the _hell_ up."

"Not until you tell me what's going on. Tell me why you can now apparently burn paper with your hands alone, _Seonghwa_ ," Mingi spoke, once again totally ignoring Hongjoong. Seonghwa couldn't bear to look at him, especially not when his eyes were glossy and filled with nothing but betrayal. "Or are you gonna lie about that too?"

Seonghwa couldn't believe this was happening. His chest felt constricted, tight all over, and that pain in his head still fucking continued, causing his vision to waver. He swallowed, guilt twisting his heart. "Mingi, I..."

"You _what_?" Mingi pressed, uncharacteristic fury shooting from his eyes. His hands were clamped into trembling fists, his cheeks splotched with an angry red. " _Please_ tell me, because I truly do not understand!"

"Don't talk to him like that!" Hongjoong hissed, teeth bared and gaze laced with so much venom. Seonghwa'd never seen that look on his face before, and it drove him insane. This entire situation did. He felt like he was about to go crazy.

His surroundings were suddenly warped, and then he was falling onto his knees, his head feeling far too heavy for his body.

"Seonghwa!" Mingi exclaimed, his voice instantly losing its previous edge, but Seonghwa didn't have it in him to respond. His hands were trembling, dark flames scattering over his skin.

Hongjoong was next to him before he could blink, gripping his wrists to build akin to thick blocks of ice to freeze his hands. Then he was yanking off his sweater and twisting the fabric to cover them. While all this happened, Mingi stared on, his lips parted but no words escaping.

"I need to get Seonghwa out of here. _Please_ , grab Seonghwa's stuff and yours from class and meet us in the library since it's currently lunch period," Hongjoong hurriedly spoke to Mingi, his voice fading in and out of Seonghwa's mind. His arms found the taller's waist and brought him up to his feet, his sweater already getting wet as a result of the melting ice.

Seonghwa's head continued to pound excessively, but he kept his gaze lowered, too ashamed to even look at Mingi. Deep, hard guilt poisoned his veins like venom, and he wouldn't stop thinking about his friend's sorrowful eyes and his harsh, wretched accusations. He didn't even deserve to call Mingi his friend right now.

It was obvious Mingi wanted to say something. He'd seen _everything_ , from Seonghwa and Hongjoong's kiss to their powers, but the urgency in the air gave no room for any words. There was no time to question anything; he had to act, _now_.

Mingi casted a final dejected look Seonghwa's way before running out, and enough Hongjoong followed after, steering him and Seonghwa to the opposite direction.

"We're almost at the library. It's gonna be okay, Seonggie," Hongjoong reassured, the use of that nickname soothing Seonghwa's frantic mind only a little bit.

He was like fucking dead-weight in the shorter's arms; an _inconvenience_. He didn't know what was happening to him, didn't know why Hongjoong was putting up with all his shit either. He felt so fucking helpless, and it only drove him to more anger and frustration. It was all too much.

Hongjoong's strength allowed them to stumble into the library before long. Mr Ahn stood up and walked up to one of the bookshelves as soon as he spotted them, his moves so calculated like he'd known they would be arriving here.

"We need the portal to the Gathering opened," Hongjoong stated. His grey sweater had started to drip with water by now, but neither he nor Mr Ahn seemed to mind the puddles forming.

Mingi entered a moment later with their school bags, his eyes still swirling with disbelief. He stood still, absolutely _shell-shocked_ at the blueish vortex that'd torn through the air behind the bookshelf right then. His reaction would've amused Seonghwa if he wasn't in pain right now from both shame and his hazardous powers.

"Leave the bags here and follow us," Hongjoong quickly ordered Mingi, ushering Seonghwa inside without waiting for the taller's response. The force of the portal and its wind beating against his body nearly pushed him to the ground, but he forced himself to stay upright. He still held on to Hongjoong even when he felt like throwing up, his head all woozy and uncoordinated.

Like they'd been expected, Seonghwa and Hongjoong stepped into the medical section of the Gathering, a few nurses already on their way to them. Mingi was there too, eyes darting from one corner to another and taking his surroundings all in. He looked so _astonished_ at what he was now seeing, only regaining his focus when he spotted one of the officials taking a disgruntled Seonghwa from Hongjoong's grip.

"Where are you taking him?" Mingi's voice was rough.

"Relax," the nurse said with a smile, not looking all that bothered with the appearance of a new face. "We're taking him to Dr Hwang to get treated."

"I'll...I'll be fine," Seonghwa managed to utter, his eyes finally meeting Mingi's pair. His throat already felt so scratchy and sore, but the feeling amplified once he noticed at the _fear_ seeping out of his friend's gaze. He gulped, the action almost painful. "I'm so sorry for... for keeping everything from you, Mingi."

Mingi's eyes grew glossier, barely holding in his tears, but he said nothing. He didn't move either as the nurses took Seonghwa away, leaving both him and Hongjoong in the waiting hall with a few others.

"You should sit," Hongjoong said. He could see how worried and anxious Mingi was, and he was sure he probably appeared the same way. "The treatment can -- and most likely _will_ \-- take some time."

Mingi's features hardened, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. Hongjoong knew the taller disliked him, and to be honest he wasn't quite fond of Mingi either, but fighting with each other was the last thing they needed right now.

And to achieve that, Hongjoong would have to be the bigger person. "Seonghwa didn't tell you anything because I convinced him not to do so. What I, as well as the others like me do requires a certain degree of secrecy. We can't exactly let the general population find out about us."

His words seemed to get to Mingi, because curiosity soon bloomed on the taller's eyes. He eventually sat down as well, but made a point not to look anywhere near Hongjoong.

"...I saw Seonghwa with fire in his hands. And you could control ice..." Mingi looked troubled. "I want to tell myself I'm dreaming, because _this_ \-- this doesn't fucking seem _real_. I don't even know what to believe anymore."

Hongjoong's thumb grazed the spot on his shirt his sweater had soaked through, Seonghwa's face flashing in his head. He hoped the dark haired boy was fine and that what he was experiencing wasn't that serious. "Seonghwa and I...as well as my brother Yunho and San, are Variants. We have powers and we kill off murderous shadows to prevent them from hurting others. Well, we all do that except for Seonghwa as he's just discovered he has powers."

Hongjoong spared Mingi a glance then and saw he contemplative look in his eyes. There was still some skepticism there, still some disbelief. But they were slowly vanishing. He was beginning to take his words to heart, Hongjoong realized.

"I know it sounds crazy."

" _It does_ ," Mingi didn't miss a beat. He raked his hands down his face, brows knitted and lips pulled into a sarcastic half-smile. Hongjoong knew smiling and laughing about it all was just his way of coping with things, but that didn't stop him from feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. "It sounds like some fairytale, and honestly I wouldn't have taken you seriously if I hadn't seen what had happened back there."

Hongjoong became aware of the incident that'd taken place between the three of them in the boy's bathroom, bristling a little as he recalled Mingi's words. The taller had basically ignored him throughout, but the way he'd kept shouting on Seonghwa was what had affected him the hardest.

It seemed Mingi remembered that moment too, because his head dropped and his shoulders hunched right then. He exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry about how I'd reacted in the bathroom. It was uncalled for."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to, but I appreciate it and I'm sorry too. Once Seonghwa arrives, you two can talk things out and be honest with each other," Hongjoong admitted, playing with his nails. They were red, a similar shade to Seonghwa's nails which was _every_ _bit_ intentional.

Mingi's shoulders bent further, almost like he was shielding himself from the world. He chewed hard on his lip, his fists clenching. "I -- I will."

Hongjoong nodded. A strained silence stretched between them.

"You and Seonghwa." Mingi cleared his throat, his gaze trained on the polished floors of the hospital. "Are you both..."

Strangely, Hongjoong felt like he'd be doing something wrong by acknowledging the elephant in the room. It also didn't help that Mingi was now watching him with quiet devastation swimming in his eyes. So, he just nodded instead of saying anything.

"Congrats." Mingi anxiously rubbed his hands together, observing the people walking past them. It was clear it was a method to distract himself.

"Mingi."

"Hm?" Mingi turned to watch him, looking close to tears. Hongjoong wasn't all that surprised, because he _knew_.

"You're crying," he said, his guilty conscience almost swallowing him whole.

Mingi sniffled, furiously wiping at his eyes. Hongjoong didn't hesitate to go get him some tissues, which the taller male gingerly accepted. "S-Sorry..."

"Don't apologize," Hongjoong replied. If there was one thing he hated, it was seeing others in pain. Years spent being scrutinized and experimented on exposed him to things no child should've ever experienced, and Mingi's tears were doing something to his heart. "I should be the one apologizing for making you cry."

Mingi chuckled, reverting to his initial position of staring at the floor where no one could see his reddened eyes and flushed cheeks. "You probably think I'm crazy for just randomly tearing up. And to be honest, you're probably right. I _am_ crazy."

"You're not."

"Well, what do you think about loving your best friend ever since you were kids?" Mingi asked with another forced smile, his lower lip trembling slightly as he said this. "It's absolutely _insane_ , right? Because how can someone have feelings for their friend for so many years and not have it go _anywhere_? I guess I'm the pathetic fool here, because _that's me_."

Hongjoong didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort or reassure Mingi in _some_ way, but he had no idea how. They weren't close, and how could Mingi ever accept his help when the boy he loved loved _him_ instead?

"I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, by the way," Mingi soon added, his jaw clenched. "I just... It feels a little better finally getting this off my chest with someone other than San." He dabbed away his remaining tears and faced Hongjoong. "Hey, you said Yunho's your brother."

Hongjoong, who'd had his arms wrapped around him as he battled with his conscience, blinked due to the sudden change in subject. "...Yeah?"

"He has pink hair and blue eyes?" Mingi clarified.

"Yes."

"I talk to him sometimes too. He's nice," Mingi confessed, but his expression blanked out after a second. "God, I fucking feel like shit. My heart hurts."

"I'm sorry," Hongjoong apologized, because truly, he had no idea what else he should've said. "I've never gone through what you have, and I'm probably the _worst person_ in the world to be talking to about this topic, but I do know that it must suck. If there's anything I can do to make you feel better, I'll do it."

Mingi ruffled his hair and blew out a breath. "The only thing you can do is not hurt Seonghwa in any way. I mean, you're already cool as fuck and you have powers as well. It's no surprise Seonghwa fell for you. Just... continue to make him smile."

Hongjoong pictured the many times Seonghwa had smiled around him, his eyes lit up like a starry night's sky. Contrary to how serious he loved to appear, Seonghwa's smiles basically radiated innocence and unfiltered joy, and Hongjoong wanted to preserve that for as long as he could.

He found himself cracking a smile. "I promise. And, you're pretty cool too."

Mingi scoffed like he couldn't believe his ears. "Yeah right."

"You're seriously cool. Seonghwa talks about how nice and funny you are all the time, and that makes you incredibly cool in my eyes."

Despite the wetness in Mingi's eyes, he looked somewhat amused. "Really? He talks about me?"

"Yes. I can tell you mean a lot to him, even when he doesn't admit it a lot," Hongjoong said, happy Mingi was a lot more responsive to him now. He was indeed telling the truth; Seonghwa reminisced about his and Mingi's favourite moments together more times than he could count.

"He's utter shit at talking about his feelings," Mingi agreed, "and I can say that as his closest friend."

They both laughed, silence dousing them after a couple moments again. This time though, it was an easy one.

"Don't tell Seonghwa," Mingi broke the silence after a while. "I won't tell him I have feelings for him either."

Hongjoong nodded. He couldn't imagine just how Mingi must've been feeling. It seemed like torture. "I won't."

"Thank you."

Seonghwa showed up half an hour later, back to normal except for this distracted look in his eyes that Hongjoong made a note to ask about later. The three males gathered inside the nearby canteen, which was where they talked about nearly everything, clearing off any confusion that was left.

Mingi hadn't taken long to warm up to the idea of his friends having powers, accepting Seonghwa's apology readily and apologizing about how he'd acted as well. Just like he'd promised, he said nothing about what he and Hongjoong had discussed, but it was for the best. He couldn't afford to jeopardize his and Seonghwa's friendship because of what he felt, no matter how sad it made him.

No matter how long it'd take, Mingi would let go of his feelings, _for his sake_.

⛓️

  
The moon was absent tonight, but the shimmering stars in the sky made up for it. The sea lazily slid across the grainy sand, its waves foaming against the shore.

Mingi had perched himself on one of the rocks situated inside the small beach since an hour ago, listening in on the calming sound of the waves so he wouldn't think. Ever since he found out Seonghwa and Hongjoong were dating, that seemed to be the only thing he did: _t_ _hinking_.

But he didn't want to do that anymore. So that was why come Thursday night, he'd opted to head to this place and...have some time to himself for a bit. Give himself a break from his feelings.

Admittedly, he _did_ let a few tears slip through during his first few minutes here, but that was tame compared to what he'd done alone in his room after talking to Seonghwa and Hongjoong on Monday. Of course, he was happy his best friend had finally found someone who he could be himself with, but his emotions were still treacherous to bear. Mingi's feelings just didn't want to leave him alone that night, and the next morning he'd woken up with a damp pillow and a weary heart.

Mingi sighed as soon as he recalled that memory. "Fuck me." He fisted some sand and watched it slip down his fingers.

" _What_?"

Mingi stopped himself on time before he actually _fell over_ the rock.

"Oh my god, please don't get hurt." By now, Mingi recognized the new visitor's voice as clear as day.

He had no idea how Yunho got here, or even _why_ he was here, but he didn't mind. Not really.

"Are you stalking me?" Mingi questioned, peering up at Yunho from where he sat. The pale boy had on a pastel blue hoodie and plain jeans, his bubblegum pink hair all ruffled up by the wind.

"I'm not." Yunho looked so genuinely alarmed by Mingi's statement, it was funny. "I come here sometimes too."

"Really." Mingi bit his lip, wondering if he should believe Yunho or not. "Well, I don't really care. At least you're here."

Yunho grinned, contagious as hell. He didn't take long to hop over the rocks and land himself right next to Mingi.

"You okay?" Yunho's inquiry was sincere. Like Mingi had done, he played a bit with the sand.

Mingi forced on a practised smile. "I'm fine."

The pink haired boy stared directly at him with those electric blue eyes of his. "Really?"

Yunho had a weird way with words. He could just utter a single word or phrase, and it'd get Mingi spewing out his innermost thoughts without thinking it over.

"I'm not fine." Mingi wasn't surprised it went the same way this time too. "Not fully."

Yunho's features relaxed, like he was ready to listen to whatever Mingi had to say.

"I'm sure you must've found out already, but I discovered you, Hongjoong and Seonghwa have powers." Mingi paused, nervous butterflies drowning him. "And it's whatever. I'm not scared of you guys or anything, but..."

"But what?" Yunho egged him on.

"I saw Hongjoong kiss Seonghwa. A-And now they're _dating_. I should be okay with it, but I'm _not_. Not totally, at least. I've known Seonghwa since he'd seen me all alone at that sandbox in kindergarten and decided to talk to me. We basically grew up t-together." Those butterflies transformed into daggers that consecutively ripped into his heart one after the other. "But it's _hard_. I-It's _so hard_ to love someone who's never gonna feel the same, and it...it _hurts_ , Yunho. It hurts _so fucking much_..."

Yunho held him close, slowly shifting his fingers through his hair as he sunk his head on the taller's chest, finding it difficult to even _breathe_. "I'm sorry, Mingi..."

"I just want someone who'd love me..." Mingi admitted, fingers squeezing Yunho's hoodie so tight his knuckles whitened. This was his first time ever talking to somebody about one of his biggest insecurities. "I want to feel... _loved_. I want someone to look at me like I _mean_ something. Like I hung the stars in the sky, y'know? I-I guess I want a hand to hold onto, with kisses and cuddles and beautiful dates with a beautiful person."

As he said all this, he could only imagine Seonghwa even when he knew it was wrong of him to do so.

"You _are_ loved," Yunho said, his chin nuzzled atop Mingi's head of brown hair. The shorter didn't mind it much, however. "Your friends treasure you, and you have parents who adore you. And...I'm here too."

"...I want something more," Mingi replied, hastily rubbing off the tears dribbling down his cheeks. This was so embarrassing and dumb. He was _crying_ on Yunho's chest for Christ's sake.

Yunho never said anything about it though. His thumb only grazed Mingi's face, wiping off the remainder of his tears. It left the shorter male stunned, for lack of a better word. "Wanna hear a little secret?"

"What?"

"I _may_ or may not have had a crush on Seonghwa when I first met him."

Mingi froze, staring right at Yunho to figure out if he was indeed telling the truth. "You're kidding."

" _I'm not_ ," Yunho laughed. "It was just an itty bitty crush, no big deal. It's _nothing_ compared to what you're going through, but I hoped it humoured you a little."

Mingi broke into a series of chuckles. "Oh my god. What? You thought he was cute too?"

"He's _very_ cute." Yunho lightly tapped Mingi's cheek. "But I think you're cuter."

Mingi rolled his eyes, eventually breaking away from Yunho's hug. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up."

"Anytime," Yunho smiled, soft and delicate just like everything else about him. "Hey, sometimes I feel like baking something. Hongjoong's not at home right now, so would you like to hang out with me there? We can bake and do other stuff you like."

Mingi laughed. "Uh, okay? I guess."

Yunho cleared his throat, his excitement obvious. "Then we can like, go now."

"Sure. Lead the way."


	30. with you

_tw: brief mentions of child experimentation_

⛓️

  
Seonghwa wasn't surprised he ended up in an unfamiliar place again as soon as he'd fallen asleep. Before, he'd rarely paid much mind to his dreams and sometimes he didn't even dream at all, but lately he'd find himself stuck somewhere he hadn't seen before, somewhere that usually felt so _candid_ it was like he was actually experiencing it in real life.

This time, the place appeared to be some squared off area with glass walls that stretched above and beyond. Seonghwa's eyes opened to dreary surroundings and his arms caged around his knees. He slowly extended his limbs before he could feel any more claustrophobic, wondering why the hell he was here.

His answer quickly came though, and it was in the form of the lone figure at the opposite corner seated in a similar position to him.

" _Hong...joong_?" Seonghwa's voice echoed along the vast chamber, quickly earning the brown haired boy's attention.

Hongjoong had on a bright yellow sweater with sleeves that extended to his palms, as well as overalls that seemed far too preppy and childlike for _...wherever_ they were. But he looked nothing less than adorable, the sight of him distracting Seonghwa for a second before he remembered the present.

"Wow," Hongjoong's grin matched the impeccable twinkle in his eyes as he dusted off the imaginary dirt on him and made his way to the taller male. "You're... actually here."

"What do you mean?" Seonghwa rather dumbly asked. It wasn't his fault, though. He couldn't quite concentrate on _anything_ whenever Hongjoong was around, no matter how freaking _cliche_ that sounded.

Hongjoong settled down next to him, tugging at his sweater sleeves. "I _wanted_ you here tonight, and you ended up showing up." His glossy lips curled into a firm line. "We need to talk."

Seonghwa tried to pretend he had no idea what the shorter was talking about, tried to pretend like his pointed stares weren't affecting him in the slightest. "Talk about what?"

Hongjoong looked unimpressed, cutting straight to the case without despite Seonghwa's attempts to stall. "You need to let me know what went on when Dr Hwang treated you. You've been avoiding telling me all week."

"That's because nothing happened," Seonghwa let out, his voice thinning out at the end. His hands ran over his sweatpants, clenching over the fabric while he hoped he sounded believable enough.

"You know," Hongjoong began, tilting his head as he observed the older's tension. His yellowish eyes looked a lot more intense, like they could see right through him. "You really suck at lying."

"I _do not_ ," Seonghwa denied, hating the way his voice came out all whiny and defensive. He frowned when Hongjoong just started to laugh. "Seriously. I'm a good liar."

"So you admit that you're lying," the shorter boy stated, catching him in the act.

Seonghwa's ears turned a deep red. "I'm not," he weakly mumbled, his last chance at trying to get Hongjoong to somehow believe him.

Hongjoong stayed quiet for a while, slowly surveying his face. Seonghwa quickly noticed, and it caused his reddened ears to burn even more.

"What?" He questioned.

Hongjoong broke out into a giggle, shaking his head a bit. "Nothing. You're just _really_ cute."

This was just like the other moments where Hongjoong would casually let out a compliment about how cute, or lovely, or attractive he was, and just like those times, an army of butterflies swarmed his stomach and suffocated him with the _best_ kind of nausea possible. It sounded weird, but it made total sense to him.

"Where are we?" And, like most times Hongjoong's words alone made him blush like a stop sign, Seonghwa tried to deflect the topic to something else.

"One of the 'fear boxes' I got held in during my experimentation days," Hongjoong replied with little to no hesitance in his tone. As soon as Seonghwa heard his words though, he felt like leaving immediately.

"Jesus. That's fucked up," he said, catching sight of the way Hongjoong shrugged.

"It's supposed to be a nightmare -- just like most of my dreams lately -- but seeing you here just... _alleviates_ my nervousness. I don't feel as stressed out when you're present."

Seonghwa felt touched as he really hadn't expected Hongjoong to say that, but he could relate. Truly. The shorter was always present whenever he panicked, held his hand and comforted him whenever he needed it most. He was just so _good_ at making Seonghwa happy, even when he didn't do anything at all.

"What is this? 'Spill your guts night'?" Seonghwa joked, loosening up as soon as Hongjoong went along with his teasing. His heart skipped a beat when Hongjoong graced him with a big smile that was just _so pretty._

"I dunno. _Maybe_?" Seonghwa's heart raced even more once he felt Hongjoong's head nuzzling over his chest. "I'll tell you something else too about me. It's something I've never admitted to anyone else apart from Yunho, and maybe it'll make it easier to ' _spill_ _your_ _guts_ ' about what you and Dr Hwang talked about."

Seonghwa scrunched his face in mock disgust. "Now that you said it, let's not use 'spill your guts' ever again."

"...Spill your guts."

" _Joong_." Said male began to snigger, broadening the smile on Seonghwa's face. "Stop it."

"Spill your guts, spill your guts, spill your guts -- "

Seonghwa swooped in and effectively shut Hongjoong up with a quick kiss, knowing it would work. "Shh."

"Now I'm just tempted to say those words again to get another kiss from you," Hongjoong breathed, and to be honest, Seonghwa was tempted too.

Leaning in again, he captured the shorter's lips once more, revelling in how cotton soft his lips felt against his. "...And luckily for you, you don't need to say anything to get me to kiss you."

Hongjoong grimaced, but even with this, his grip on Seonghwa tightened. Now his head found its place on the slope of the taller's neck. "Cheesy ass."

Seonghwa felt a giggle bubble up his throat. Gosh, for what felt like the hundredth time tonight, he widely grinned. "Only for you."

Hongjoong pretended to barf. "Okay, okay. Let's move on now."

Seonghwa laughed, eyes zeroing in on the smaller boy's hand trying to play with his as discreetly as it could. "Sure. What did you wanna tell me?"

Hongjoong's thin fingers stopped fiddling with his. "...Well, I already told you about Yunho and I being put in the 'aquatic section' while being experimented on, right?"

It was slight, but it was still noticeable. Seonghwa could hear it as clear as day. Hongjoong was unsure, _conflicted_.

"Wait. Hold on to me for a sec," Seonghwa instructed, hoping his attempt at what he was about to do would turn out to be a success. Hongjoong obeyed him easily, and before they knew it, the world turned on its edge, their surroundings warping out of existence.

Cloudy pinks and sunny peaches shone through the atmosphere, a steadying wind enveloping both males. A soft, spacious blanket cushioned their fall, and everywhere they looked there were daisies of all sizes swaying about in the air.

"Woah, what the _hell_?" Hongjoong exclaimed, his words opposing the fondness and outright adoration lacing his tone. He stared right at Seonghwa, wide-eyed and amazed. "Hwa, where is this place?"

Seonghwa beamed at the realization that his plan _had_ worked out, after all. He peered up at the sky, the setting sun akin to a supernova shooting dazzling orange sparks everywhere. Even the puffy lavender coloured clouds did next to nothing to lessen its brilliance.

They even had two picnic baskets in front of them, _just_ like he'd envisioned.

"I just thought of it now," Seonghwa remarked, amazed himself. "I was like, ' _where_ _would Hongjoong love to be right_ _now_ ', and somehow I came up with this place."

Hongjoong continued to stare at him in wonder. "Wow, Seonghwa," his arms wrapped around his waist, "I love this so much. This is like, my dream date!"

Seonghwa's neck burned as he fought _really hard_ not to show just how much Hongjoong's devastatingly adorable self affected him. "It is?"

"I know it may sound lame, but I always dreamed of having a picnic with you right as the sun sets," Hongjoong admitted, cupping the taller's cheek. "And now that I am, I feel like I'm falling for you all over again."

Seonghwa grinned, his heart vivaciously beating inside his chest. "You're so cringe, but I love it."

"Shut up." Hongjoong seemed like the bashful one, for once. He entwined their hands, running his thumb over the curve of Seonghwa's knuckles. "Let's eat something first; that way I'll feel better about what I want to say."

"You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to. You know that, right?" Seonghwa said, watching as Hongjoong pulled the first basket towards them.

"I know. But I want to. I like it when we're able to freely communicate," Hongjoong placed a slice of pie on a plate and passed it over to Seonghwa. "Communication is...so sexy."

Seonghwa felt like he'd heard wrong. He laughed out loud. "I totally did not expect that."

"It's 'cause I'm unpredictable, babe," Hongjoong replied, before going on to bite his slice of pie in the most provocative way possible, causing Seonghwa to start coughing.

"What the fuck did you just _do_?" Seonghwa said, more in shock than anything else.

"What did I just do?" Hongjoong repeated with a shrug, innocently nibbling on his pie.

Seonghwa decided not to press further, mostly for his sanity. He didn't eat much -- not because he hated the food or anything -- but because of the sheer _awe_ his surroundings left him in. He couldn't stop looking at the fiery orange sky, the purple clouds and the cute daisies littered across the field. But most of all, he couldn't stop staring at the boy right next to him; the most picturesque sight out of everything else.

He waited until his boyfriend was done and comfortable enough to share whatever he wanted, and as they cuddled underneath the dimming skies, Hongjoong eventually released what had been on his mind.

"A water snake; that's the animal I now share my genes with," he muttered, chewing his lip. "No offense, snakes are cool, but I _hated_ myself those first few years after undergoing those experiments. I did all I could to...sort of _hide_ myself, I guess. I wore whatever I could to get people's eyes on my attire instead of _me_ , and avoided talking to anyone that wasn't Yunho, which, now that I look back on it, seemed more like a coping mechanism more than anything. I thought I was some sort of _freak_ , but as time passed, I learnt to accept myself and everything that made me who I am. The word 'freak' soon meant something unique, something amazing that _I_ embodied." Hongjoong paused, his eyes reflecting the disappearing sunlight. "Yunho got the worst of it, though. I think it was because he was bigger than most of the kids back then. Those twisted scientists mixed and matched whatever they could with him like it was all some fucking _game_ to them. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try not to, I can still hear his cries on those days, begging them to stop..."

Seonghwa pulled Hongjoong closer to him and made sure he didn't let him go for one second. He gently kissed his hair, hating the way his smile had totally disappeared. "I'm so sorry."

Hongjoong grazed his fingers over a daisy, its white petals complementing his nails. "It's okay, Seonggie. I'm just so glad I could finally talk to you about it." He watched the older, grinning brightly at him. "I really like it when we talk things out."

Seonghwa felt too guilty to return Hongjoong's smile. Instead, he looked away, wondering how he could word what he wanted to say in the best way he could. He figured he just needed to _say it_ , with no overthinking on his part. Like ripping off a bandaid.

"I get hallucinations," he confessed, deciding on taking his own advice. "I see this masked shadow several times a week, as well as the flames it brings along with it. And... and sometimes, it talks to me. It's _te_ _rrifying_. Dr Hwang said it's like my own personal Mon. I can only gain control of it once I hone my powers."

"When did it start?" Hongjoong questioned. He was extremely worried, if his tone alone was enough to go by.

"At Flora. On the tower." Seonghwa ignored the lump in his throat, as well as that horrid memory.

"Shit," Hongjoong turned to face him directly. "I'd seen you shouting at something that wasn't there -- Yunho had too. But we both thought it was as a result of something else. I had no idea."

"That makes me feel even worse," Seonghwa admitted. "Now I feel crazy."

"You're not crazy," Hongjoong quickly denied the taller's claims, cuddling up on his lap in no time. "Pretty, adorable, funny, honest -- yeah. But crazy? _Never_." He cusped Seonghwa's cheeks with his soft hands and squished them, much to Seonghwa's bemusement.

"Cwinge," Seonghwa tried to speak, only for Hongjoong to squeeze his cheeks further. " _Le_ _me_ _guh_ _."_

Hongjoong cackled. "Sorry, Hwa. I need to cheer my _boyfriend_ up. Is it working?"

"It's nuh. I um _annoed_."

"What was that?"

Seonghwa went on to chuckle, Hongjoong's grip on his face making it difficult to do much else. He puckered his lips, heat coiling his abdomen when he saw the way Hongjoong kept looking at them. "Kith mi."

The shorter rose an eyebrow, acting all oblivious. "Huh?"

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, before breaking out of Hongjoong's hold to tackle him down on the picnic blanket. Hongjoong's melodious giggles vibrated against his skin as he attacked his face with numerous kisses.

Hongjoong reciprocated them all, happy to let Seonghwa take the lead. He body eagerly arched into Seonghwa's, melting under every touch and kiss they exchanged.

But, it wasn't long until he switched them around, caressing Seonghwa's face and staring at him like he was the most glorious thing on this planet.

Seonghwa admired the way the indigo blue starlight fell on Hongjoong's body, framing his features like a work of art. He was so _stunning_ that Seonghwa often wondered what he ever found in someone like him. He just couldn't take his eyes off Hongjoong, insides purring in contentment as the smaller's cold hands slipped inside his shirt, tracing over his every muscle.

It was when Hongjoong's hands began to verge lower down his sweatpants that Seonghwa totally stiffened, eyes widening with panic. He tried to quickly hide it, though, pretending that he hadn't tensed up only a few seconds ago, but it wasn't a surprise that Hongjoong picked up on it.

"Are you okay?" Hongjoong regarded him tenderly, his eyes warm.

"Yeah," Seonghwa cleared his throat. His heart was racing and he didn't know why. "I'm fine. You can go on."

"I saw you freeze up, so I'm gonna stop." Hongjoong answered with a shake of his head. "You being comfortable is my priority."

Seonghwa exhaled after realizing he'd been nearly suffocating himself, but the shame was still there. "I literally just ruined the mood."

"You didn't ruin _anything_ ," Hongjoong assured. "And hell, why would we have sex in a _field_? That's doesn't seem right at all."

Seonghwa almost choked on his spit. He covered his face, his skin hot as an array of visualisations filled his head at that moment. " _Oh my god_."

Hongjoong laughed, patting his thigh. "What? I'm only telling the truth. Plus, we've got no protection."

"Please stop."

It was obvious the shorter wasn't done yet. He seemed to quite like seeing Seonghwa all flustered and at a loss for words. 

"Top or bottom; which one do you prefer? I'm good with either."

"God, you're so _bold_ ," Seonghwa said rather adoringly, blushing hard at the sight of Hongjoong grinning down at him. 

"Mhm, yeah I am." Hongjoong soon laid on him, his chin nuzzled on his chest. Their fingers slowly found their way back to each other again. "But...I need an answer..."

Seonghwa wrapped an arm around Hongjoong's waist, both males breaking into a smile once their eyes met. "...I'll go along with whatever you want. I guess I don't really care about it like that..."

Hongjoong planted a kiss on his nose. "Just like I'd thought."

"Hey, what do you mean by that?"

" _Nothinnng_." 

Hongjoong yelped just as Seonghwa started tickling him in retaliation, resulting in them promptly launching a tickle fight that took their minds off most of their worries.

⛓️

After Seonghwa's father managed to convince him he'd be fine alone in the house at Halloween, Seonghwa soon landed himself in a dimension he'd never been to before coincidentally called _Twilight_ , considering it was already dark by the time he made it there with the others.

Hongjoong was dressed in this cat-witch-vampire-suit that looked unfairly good on him. Seonghwa also guessed it gave him an excuse to wear black lipstick and apply more eyeliner than usual, but Seonghwa wasn't complaining. Not when he looked so attractive and _sultry_ like that.

  
"The people around here don't call it Halloween," Yeosang spoke next to them in their gothic fit, their words snapping Seonghwa out of his Hongjoong-induced daze. "They call it _Jjongst_ in honour of Choi Jongho, the youngest prince of their kingdom who'd introduced this tradition to them."

" _Really_?" Mingi asked. Like everyone else, he was enamoured with the bright fairy lights glittering from almost every building and the glowing pumpkins that lit up the pathways. There were even large skeletons waving at the townspeople walking by. "Wait -- how old is he?"

"People here live for a very long time," Yeosang replied.

"Let's start our trick-or-treat conquest!" Wooyoung clapped, green eyes alight with unmatched joy. "This is like, a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

"You say that every year," San answered. Seonghwa couldn't help but smile fondly at their similar princely outfits. Only San's was black and Wooyoung's was baby blue, but they both looked dashing.

"Yeah, because Halloween's amazing! Right, guys?"

Yunho was practically ready to _burst_ out of excitement where he stood in his big bunny costume. "I can't wait to get some candy!"

"You guys are such _kids_ ," Seonghwa said, laughing to himself when Wooyoung blew him a raspberry.

"You're the one dressed as Peter Pan here -- _the actual kid_ ," Hongjoong joked in defense of Wooyoung and his brother, drawing out an overexaggerated frown from Seonghwa himself.

"You're the one who told me I'd look cute wearing this!" Seonghwa gasped.

"Uh-oh, lover's quarrel," San whispered, but before Seonghwa or Hongjoong could react, he was already pulling Wooyoung away.

"Wait up!" Yeosang shouted, hurriedly chasing after them.

"You guys remained, and that means you're officially _cool_. Like us," Hongjoong said, gesturing to Yunho and Mingi. "We should try head bowling first."

" _Head bowling?!_ " Seonghwa and Mingi exclaimed at the exact same time.

Yunho giggled. "Guys, it's not an _actual_ head. The bowling pins are just shaped like it."

"Still horrifying," Mingi stated.

"Says the one dressed up as a mummy," Seonghwa teased, grinning at the unimpressed look his best friend shot him.

"I didn't agree to come with you guys to be attacked like this." Mingi pointed at Hongjoong, who rose his hands in surrender. "You're turning him even meaner."

Seonghwa placed a hand on his chest like he was appalled by his friend's accusation. " _Even meaner_?"

Yunho, in the meantime, was currently _dying_ of laughter.

"Okay -- " Hongjoong stepped in, "before any murders end up happening tonight, we should go head bowling like we all said we would, okay?"

They ended up doing so, splitting into teams when Yeosang, San and Wooyoung eventually joined them. It resulted in a lot of cheers and quite a few friendly banters that only served to humour everyone. Things got crazy when Mingi scored the highest point at one round, resulting in him being piggy-backed around the bowling alley by Yunho despite his several complaints about the taller accidentally dropping him (which he didn't, by the way).

Then, Yunho and Wooyoung fulfilled their wish of going trick-or-treating, quickly getting their bags filled with candies and snacks that they eventually shared with everyone else. It was nice.

Even the stores were Halloween-themed, speckled with decorative bats and silvery cobwebs that glimmered under the smokey lighting. Yeosang got a ring at one of them, and then served as a distraction to Hongjoong and the others as Seonghwa quickly bought this pair of bracelets he'd been eyeing there as well.

Of course, he'd show them to Hongjoong once he was ready, feeling proud he'd found something that represented the both of them so much.

Half an hour later, San and Wooyoung put every fairytale act to shame by straight up making out under a dazzling green clock tower. It was cute, but Seonghwa also didn't wanna witness it.

"I feel uncomfortable," Yeosang stated while Yunho tried to cover Mingi's eyes.

"Get a room!" Hongjoong yelled, but it was from amusement than anything else. When Wooyoung and San showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, Hongjoong hooked arms with Seonghwa and walked off with him.

"There are some people performing over there," he said, snuggling up to Seonghwa, which the taller boy didn't mind at all. "We should go watch."

And so they did. People dressed up as whoever and whatever they wanted sang and danced, or even acted out a couple scenes from plays. Seonghwa, however, _did not_ expect Yunho to enter the circle everyone had formed and volunteer to dance at one point, but that was exactly what the pink haired male did.

"I'll use this against him later," Hongjoong told Seonghwa as he brought out his phone whilst sticking out his tongue in concentration. Clearly he had no ill will against his brother, but it only made the situation _twice_ as funny.

Seonghwa laughed as Yunho body-rolled to the tempo in his fluffy bunny costume, him, Mingi and Hongjoong hooting and cheering louder for the teen along with the rest of the crowd as he began to twerk. Yeosang just had their face covered in second-hand embarrassment.

"Did you get all of that on video?" Yunho asked Hongjoong as soon as someone else had taken his spot. "We need to show San and Wooyoung those _awesome_ moves of mine."

"I think they'd be better off not seeing any of _that_ ," Yeosang answered. Yunho just rustled their blond hair to their dissatisfaction.

"It was _seriously_ cool," Mingi complimented, giving Yunho a high-five.

"I know."

"I got everything on video." Hongjoong tossed his phone to his brother, his fingers sneakily hooking around Seonghwa's belt loops in the process. "You guys can watch and rewatch it for as long as you'd like. I'm grabbing Seonghwa for a bit."

He was met with no resistance, and when they were both now finally together, he spoke. "I saw you get something at that store. Mind telling me what it is?"

Seonghwa rubbed his ears, which were quickly burning under Hongjoong's simmering stare. "It's nothing, though."

"I shall go along with it tonight, for the sake of Halloween." The shorter then dived in to whisper into Seonghwa's ear. "But that doesn't mean I'm done with you just yet."

Seonghwa knew Hongjoong _loved_ it whenever he got him all worked up, turning him into a blushing mess. And right now, he decided to play the shorter's game. "If you wanted me to kiss you _this_ bad, you could've just said so..."

"I _always_ want you to kiss me," Hongjoong replied, challenge swirling within his golden, cat-like eyes. He wanted to see if Seonghwa would take the bait and kiss him in public, and unsurprisingly, Seonghwa _did_.

Their lips connected in a frenzy, Seonghwa's hands immediately curled in Hongjoong's auburn hair. Heat blazed inside his chest as Hongjoong slipped his tongue into his mouth, rubbing soothing circles all over his stomach and gripping the skin of his hips, his hands dangerously close to groping his ass.

"I feel uncomfortable: the sequel," Yeosang's voice was heard, pink quickly spreading across Seonghwa's cheeks.

Hongjoong stuck his tongue out at Yeosang, his dark makeup and broad smirk making him apppear all roguish, wild and _seductive_. Seonghwa suddenly wished they _were_ alone.

"I bet they're gonna fuck later. I can just _feel_ it," Wooyoung blurted to everyone's (except Hongjoong's, to be honest) utter shock.

San quickly covered his partner's mouth. "He said _nothing_ , guys!"

"How do I un-hear this? Oh wait -- I'm part robot," Yeosang said, massaging a spot on their head to actually _rid_ themselves of the memory.

Yunho laughed uncomfortably, before grabbing and steering a beet-red Mingi in the other direction.

The night went on and was filled with more fun and no more unsolicited comments from Wooyoung about Seonghwa and Hongjoong's relationship. Somehow, Yunho ended up dancing in the middle of a crowd _again_ , but now everyone else -- apart from Yeosang who stayed where they were to record for more 'questionable material' -- had joined him. One thing led to another though when Wooyoung and San started grinding up on each other and needed to be separated for safety purposes, but all in all they had a wonderful time.

Seonghwa could even say he'd found people he could see himself being friends with for a long time, as well as a boy by the name of Kim Hongjoong who he was starting to realize he felt something quite like _love_ for.


	31. happily ever after

_mentions of underaged drinking and implied_ _/_ _non-descriptive_ _sexual content_

⛓️

  
\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_heyy_

- **seonggie** **💕**  
_🔫💣🗡️_

\- **joongie** **🐣✨**  
_i am hurt omg :((_  
_my boyfriend's a huge meanie_

\- **seonggie** **💕**  
_get over it :p_  
_anyways,, why are u texting me??_

\- **joongie** **🐣✨**  
_guess_

\- **seonggie** **💕**  
_no_.

\- **joongie** **🐣✨**  
_ur so mean. but i love you_  
_i think_

**\- seonggie💕**  
_you think??!_

**\- joongie🐣✨**  
_i'm just messing w u cutie_

\- **seonggie💕**  
_how do i know you're not lying_

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_i'll do whatever u want to let u know i'm telling the truth_

Seonghwa chuckled. He could _feel_ Hongjoong's eagerness to please him even through the screen. He smirked as he thought of a way to use it to his advantage.

**\- seonggie💕**  
_i dunno_  
_maybe i can get a pic of you rn?_

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_contrary to popular belief i don't take pictures of myself_ _._  
_guess that'll change today_

**\- seonggie💕**  
_do a cute pose_  
_a kawaii pose_

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_kawaii._  
_did you just say 'kawaii'_

\- **seonggie💕**  
_i did_  
_what are you gonna do about it?_

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_nothing cuz youre cute_  
_youre the kawaii one here_

Seonghwa broadly grinned as he paced around his room, setting everything up in order. His heart was now doing that _thing_ it always did whenever the shorter was concerned. And at this point, he'd learned to live with it. His feelings for Hongjoong weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

\- **seonggie💕**  
_just hurry up_

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_of course, baby_

\- **joongie🐣✨**

*imagine hongjoong winking selca lol*

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_the angle is kinda weird but i did what i could !!_

Seonghwa paused, absently running his fingers over Hongjoong's selfie as he admired just how absolutely gorgeous he was.

\- **joongie🐣✨**  
_do you like it? 🐥_

Instead of replying through text, Seonghwa dialled the younger's number. He wasn't at all surprised when Hongjoong quickly picked up on the first ring, but that didn't stop blood from rushing to his face at the sound of Hongjoong's voice.

" _I didn't expect that call_." Hongjoong's words were low, husky due to him probably just now waking up. " _But I'm not complaining_."

"You look great," Seonghwa sat himself down on his bed, smoothing over the sheets. "I still can't believe you don't have your mullet anymore."

The memory of Hongjoong showing up to his house with most of his hair now cut and in a darker shade flashed vividly in Seonghwa's head like it was just yesterday. He would've been lying if he said he hadn't been shocked by Hongjoong's sudden transformation, and he would've been lying _even more_ to himself if he said he disliked his boyfriend's new look.

Hongjoong laughed, the bright sound warming Seonghwa's heart. " _I still can't believe it too, but I was due for a haircut sooner or later_." He stopped, before softly chuckling. " _I also can't believe your hair's red now_."

Now remembering his newly dyed hair, Seonghwa raked his fingers through it, unable to bite back the smile that'd taken over his features. He'd also gotten his ears pierced like he'd promised, and he was happy with it. "Well...like _you_ , I was due for a change too. You were the one who said I'd look great with it. Are you thinking something else now?"

He was only kidding, of course, simply trying to press Hongjoong's buttons. But Hongjoong's reaction was more earnest than he'd anticipated.

" _Never, Seonghwa. You look amazing with it. You_ always _do._ " Seonghwa could tell Hongjoong meant every word, and it got him blushing _yet again_.

"It's kind of surreal that my dad knows we're dating now. I mean -- he _is_ okay with it, but still." That was Seonghwa's method of distracting himself from his pounding heartbeat, and as he laid on his bed, sinking his chin into his plush pillow, he eagerly awaited Hongjoong's reply.

" _I still can't wrap my head around it either_ ," Hongjoong said, but he sounded like he was beaming. " _I'm glad he likes me_. _I was so nervous, oh my god._ "

"Are you kidding? _Everyone_ likes you," Seonghwa answered. It was on the same day he'd spotted Hongjoong with his new hair that he'd newly introduced him to his dad over dinner as his significant other, since their first meeting wasn't exactly the best memory to look back on. And it'd went great, like everything going on in Seonghwa's life thus far.

His father had enrolled in a program that would help him with his alcohol intake, and he'd met potential friends through it as well. Seonghwa had also begun undergoing mild training at the Gathering to steady his powers and gain control over his hallucinations, which was working. Things had finally started to look up.

" _It's always nerve-wracking meeting your date's parents, so you can't blame me!_ " Hongjoong defended himself. " _I'm just glad things turned out okay_..."

"Mhm," Seonghwa hummed. He turned to face the ceiling, commencing his next course of action. "Dad wants us to have dinner again whenever we're free."

" _I won't mind_ ," Hongjoong answered. " _Anytime I'm not busy killing Mons or drowning in schoolwork, I'm free_."

Seonghwa giggled, biting his lip. "Are you free _now_?"

He could imagine the curiosity embedded in Hongjoong's gaze right that second. The sound of sheets rustling was heard over the line, and Seonghwa guessed Hongjoong must be seated up, back pressed against the bedpost or something like that.

"... _What are you planning_?"

"Do I need to plan _something_ to get you to come over?" Seonghwa questioned.

" _You want me over_."

"My dad isn't home. He went out with some of his friends and won't be back until much later," Seonghwa explained. He tried to keep his smiles down, but it proved hard when he could practically _hear_ Hongjoong's excitement from the phone.

" _Should I head over now?_ " The shorter asked. Seonghwa could already tell he'd stood up.

The taller boy stared out the window, taking in the pulsing full moon and the crystal blue night sky. There weren't much stars present, but it was still a sight to behold.

"Yeah. Just show up at my window like a stalker like you normally do," Seonghwa joked as he rushed to switch off the lights, leaving his window open.

" _Excuse me_ ," Hongjoong was saying while Seonghwa exited his bedroom, promptly making his way to where the stuff he needed was located. " _I_ do not _show up at your window like some stalker_."

Seonghwa chuckled, amused he'd gotten his boyfriend all riled up. "Sure, okay."

" _I prefer the term_ _'saving_ _much needed time by teleporting to your room instead of walking_ _there'_ _, thank you very much_ _._ "

"Too long," Seonghwa laughed, slipping out of his attire with ease. "You should just...show up already."

"... _I'm already here_."

It was a relief Seonghwa's house wasn't as cold as it was outside, but a slight chill still rolled down his spine once he'd gotten ready. He swiftly carried the plate holding the large red velvet cupcake he'd baked from the dining table, lighting up each candle as carefully as he could.

" _Where are you_?" Hongjoong soon asked, his tone showcasing barely-hidden worry. " _Should I come outside?_ "

" _No_." Seonghwa tried to adjust his phone without ruining his creation. "Nope. Just -- _stay_ where you are because I'm already close by. I'm hanging up."

With that, Seonghwa placed his phone on the dining table and made the journey back to his room. He was actually _nervous_ _as fuck_ , his heart hitting his ribcage so hard he feared it'd burst out his chest. Any other day he would've reconsidered what he was planning to do, but he wasn't gonna back down now.

Inhaling a sharp breath, Seonghwa pushed open his door and stepped in. Despite the freezing winter air lapping against his window, thick warmth swelled in his body once Hongjoong's gaze fell on him from across the room.

The shorter boy had been casually lying on his bed, playing around with his phone when he spotted Seonghwa, and almost immediately his lips parted in surprise, widened eyes surveying him up and down.

"Happy birthday in advance...?" Seonghwa spoke, half-entertained and half-bothered by Hongjoong's stunned silence. He sauntered over to where the shorter lay, placing the plate someplace safe.

"Birth...birthday..." Hongjoong couldn't even form a full sentence, his eyes never dropping from the older's face, from his _body_. His shock was so _evident_ and his gaze so dark, it unleashed an army of butterflies in Seonghwa's stomach.

Seonghwa had purposefully chosen tonight to carry out his plan for a reason. At that moment, the moon's light shone into his room, illuminating the sheer scarlet robe loosely clinging to his skin. He knew what he was doing, knew he had Hongjoong's full attention now.

He crawled onto the shorter's crotch, taking the lit cupcake. The flames flickered vibrantly within the darkened room, highlighting the golden flecks in Hongjoong's eyes which were currently tracing over Seonghwa's exposed shoulder.

"Hwa -- " Hongjoong swallowed. "What are you _doing_?"

Seonghwa smiled, his neck burning under the younger's intense stare. "I wanted to surprise you with something before your birthday tomorrow. You don't like it?"

"I -- I _do_." Hongjoong looked like he could barely hold himself together. "I really fucking do. Seonghwa..."

"Make a wish and blow out the candles," Seonghwa said, hoping his nervousness wasn't as apparent as the awe and hunger reflecting through Hongjoong's eyes.

"Wait -- " Hongjoong blinked repeatedly like he just couldn't believe this was truly happening. "How -- _when_ did you plan this, Hwa?"

"That's a secret." Seonghwa stroked Hongjoong's cheek, grinning when the shorter finally blew out the candles. "...What did you wish for?"

Hongjoong was too dazed to mention the age-old rule about wishes not coming through once spoken out loud, his fingers already rubbing into the taller's thigh. "I wished you'll stay with me for as long as the world allows..."

Seonghwa pulled off the candles and bit into the cake, taking as much time as he could with it. With Hongjoong's eyes on him like that, he suddenly had the courage to do things he normally would've been far too bashful to partake in. Adrenaline buzzed inside his veins and exploded into sparks as soon as Hongjoong brushed their lips together, Seonghwa quickly responding to him.

Hongjoong soon had Seonghwa pressed against the bed, kissing and sucking down on his steaming, burning skin. Seonghwa pulled him even closer, Hongjoong's tender touches rendering him a flushed, panting mess.

"I want you..." Seonghwa whispered as he untangled the strings holding his robe together, the chill in the air the only thing cloaking his warm, fully exposed body now. His fingers fisted Hongjoong's dark hair, heart skipping a beat as soon as the shorter's hands fondled his naked skin, adoration shimmering inside his eyes.

"Shit, Hwa... You're so beautiful," Hongjoong shivered under Seonghwa's fingertips just as the boy had finished unbuttoning his shirt. "You're so fucking _ethereal_."

Seonghwa kissed him again, deep and overflowing with longing. "I love you, Hongjoong."

"And I love _you_ , Seonghwa. _All of you_ ," Hongjoong replied with so much conviction in his tone. He rid himself of the rest of his own clothes in no time, wholeheartedly generous with making sure Seonghwa knew that night just how much he appreciated and treasured him.

⛓️

Seonghwa couldn't help but stare at the boy he was currently resting against, taking in the way his long lashes fanned over his cheeks as he slept. Hongjoong looked so _...innocent_ , his face stripped of all worries.

Seonghwa wanted to touch him, see if he was truly there. The urge was too strong, and he ended up skimming his fingers across the younger's smooth chest and torso, smiling to himself when Hongjoong clung tighter onto him like second skin.

" _Couldn't really sleep_..." Hongjoong mumbled into Seonghwa's neck, the sudden movement directly affecting his sensitive spot. Seonghwa felt himself melt when Hongjoong slowly started stroking him.

"Why?" Seonghwa asked while biting back a smile. Hongjoong's soft breathing was ticklish in the best of ways, and the way he kept touching him made him all warm and fuzzy inside.

Hongjoong opened one eye, his expression shadowed with mischief. "I can't exactly doze off when you're right there next to me being all enticing and _deliciously naked._ "

Seonghwa huffed, but he couldn't hide his happiness any longer. "Shut the hell up."

Hongjoong laughed, low and marred with fatigue. He closed up the space between them with a brief yet sweet kiss, never once loosening his hold around the older male. "I know you like it."

Seonghwa didn't even bother acting like he didn't. Ever since he'd woken up, he'd found it _very_ difficult to dial down his joy, and it was getting pretty clear that nothing would be able to wipe off that big smile off his face. Not even the borderline freezing weather or the grey skies could make him lose it.

"I like you _in_ me."

His words took Hongjoong aback, but it wasn't long before his mischievousness returned. He grinned, admiring all of Seonghwa for the umpteenth time. "I like that too."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and pushed himself up, pretending like he was going to bite the entirety of Hongjoong's arms off when the shorter wouldn't let him go.

"Where are you going?" Hongjoong pouted.

Seonghwa decided against answering the male and slid off the bed instead, Hongjoong's unrelenting stares digging into his bare back.

"You're such a tease..."

Once again, Seonghwa said nothing. Only grabbed his neglected robe on the floor, ignoring the dull ache in his lower body as he walked towards the door. Granted, they'd gone at it more than once, Seonghwa taking the brunt of it all, but he hated that he was still tender and sore down there.

In a few seconds, Hongjoong was already behind him. "Hwa..."

Seonghwa turned around but didn't utter a single word. He didn't know where this confidence to literally walk about with no clothes on around Hongjoong came from, but he honestly didn't mind it. It was both euphoric and _freeing_ , and seeing the way the shorter continuously praised him with his eyes made him so incredibly giddy.

 _He loved it_.

"I think I know what you're doing." Hongjoong knew what _he_ was doing too, standing right in front of him in all his toned, tempting glory. He was so outrageously _sexy_ , Seonghwa wanted him all to himself again.

"What _am_ I doing?"

"You're trying to make me crave you even more. And it's working."

Yeah, Seonghwa blushed at his comment. _A lot_. But he didn't let that deter him. He stepped closer, thumb rubbing over Hongjoong's lower lip. "...Shower with me."

Hongjoong didn't even need to answer, his need for the taller boy clearer than anything else.

⛓️

  
It was still really dark out, the morning sun not up yet, so Seonghwa decided to camp out with Hongjoong on the livingroom sofa, a large, fluffy blanket shielding them from the biting cold.

He also hadn't forgotten to bring this little box along, shoving it under a pillow before Hongjoong could catch sight of it.

"Okay, seriously. Where did you get that idea from?" Hongjoong soon questioned him, his face almost hidden beneath the blanket.

Seonghwa pretended to play dumb as he ruffled his cherry red locks, drying them with the little bit of heat he let loose from his palms. "What idea?"

"That transparent robe," Hongjoong cut straight to the point. "I never knew you were so kinky."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"I'm not kissing your ass." Seonghwa paused, quickly realizing the double meaning in his words.

Hongjoong was having the time of his life. "I won't mind you taking that up with me sometime."

Seonghwa stared at his boyfriend like he was nuts. "You're gross."

"We were _just_ naked together in the bathroom, like, twenty minutes ago."

Seonghwa searched for Hongjoong's hand under the blanket, interlocking their fingers in no time. A calm silence washed over them for a while, filled with steady inhales and ever-blooming feelings.

Hongjoong was in the midst of lazily pecking Seonghwa's hands when the redhead cleared his throat, alerting his attention.

"Hmm?" Hongjoong raised his brows, scooting closer to the taller boy.

Seonghwa pulled out the black box, unable to hold back his smile yet again. He couldn't help it; he couldn't _wait_ to see Hongjoong's reaction to what he got him. What he got _them_.

Hongjoong's interest was piqued at the appearance of the nondescript box, but he kept his hands to himself, waiting for Seonghwa's consent first. "What's that?"

Seonghwa's lips stretched into a grin. "An early birthday present. Or _first-thing-in-the-morning_ birthday present. Here." He passed the box over to the dark haired male, who readily accepted it.

"You...you even bought something for _me_ ," Hongjoong muttered so low it sounded like he was talking to himself. "I'm so thankful."

Hongjoong's soft-spoken, sentimental words did something to Seonghwa. He leaned into Hongjoong's shoulder, snaking his arms around him to give him a comforting hug. "You're welcome, Joongie."

Hongjoong opened the box, only to stiffen at the two jewelled bracelets that greeted him. They were nearly identical, shimmering fiery topaz and tropical blue like fireworks that blazed through the darkness.

"Hwa..." Hongjoong gasped, fingers trailing over the bracelets in wonder. He instinctively held the blue one up, its sapphire crystals reminiscent of bubbles floating about in the deep blue sea. "Oh my god. Where did you get this?"

Seonghwa laughed, enjoying how flabbergasted Hongjoong appeared. "Yeosang helped me with it. They said the store sold colour-changing jewelry, and before long I came across this couple bracelet. You like it?"

Hongjoong had already rolled on the blue bracelet. "I'm in love with it. I'm in love with _you_."

Seonghwa giggled as Hongjoong then attacked his face with kisses, toes curling in delight. "I'm glad you love it."

Hongjoong took the golden bracelet, its topaz surface reminding Seonghwa of fire. It was beautiful, just like Hongjoong's eyes, his smile, his laugh -- _everything_.

The shorter boy inched closer to him, their foreheads only a couple centimeters apart. "May I?"

Seonghwa's pulse raced under his skin, chest bursting with warmth at the tender way Hongjoong held on to his wrist. "Yes, you may..."

Like he and Hongjoong were both at some marriage ceremony, Hongjoong slid the topaz bracelet over his hand as gently as he possibly could. It was so overbearing -- the sea of emotions drowning Seonghwa at that moment. But he wouldn't trade it for the world, not when he had Hongjoong in his life.

He grinned once their gazes met, Hongjoong quickly returning it.

"I'm getting you something too," the shorter said, only for Seonghwa to press a finger to his lips.

"Shh. Don't spill anything Joong." He connected their wrists and pointed out the matching charm on both bracelets. "Each bracelet has half a heart. To make an actual heart, we have to lock the charms together."

Hongjoong's fingers were swift in doing so, but then he completely froze up. "Wait. Does it...have a _key_?"

Seonghwa made a show of gasping out loud. " _Oh my god. Oh_ _nooo_."

"Hwa, this is _serious_. How are we going to break apart without ruining the bracelets?"

Seonghwa cackled as he pulled out the small key he'd kept hidden all this time. "Surprise!"

Hongjoong looked pissed off, but Seonghwa continued laughing. It was so _hilarious_. "This isn't funny."

" _It is_." Seonghwa unlocked the complementary charms, still snickering to himself. He laughed even harder when Hongjoong started mercilessly tickling his sides, climbing over him in no time. "I'm -- I'm sorry -- "

Hongjoong just kissed away his apologies, his hands soon slipping under his oversized shirt. "Shh. You need to get punished first for being so bad."

Seonghwa arched into his touch, breathing heavily when Hongjoong palmed inside his shorts as he lightly sucked on a particularly sensitive area on his neck.

The door to the livingroom opened then and in stepped Seonghwa's _father_.

"Dad!" Seonghwa exclaimed in horror, while Hongjoong promptly scrambled off of him.

The poor man looked traumatised. "I'll pretend I didn't see anything and come back later, alright boys?" He hurriedly turned around and left the house.

Red bloomed across Seonghwa's entire face. "My dad -- _fuck_."

Hongjoong laughed in disbelief. "I shouldn't be laughing, but oh my god. What are we gonna do now?"

"Hopefully he never brings it up," Seonghwa answered, still shaken to his core. " _Ever_."

⛓️

  
Snow descended from the chandelier icicles swinging from the ceiling, disappearing into nothing. Tables and chairs veiled in white and crisp gold decorated the spacious hall, very much like a winter wonderland-esque banquet.

Seonghwa stared at his feet, still amazed by the intricately-carved snowflakes whisking in and out of the polished floors. There he could see his awed expression, his styled red hair as well as his turquoise dress shirt and pants that matched well with the overall theme of this place. He found himself adjusting his silvery bowtie, chest tight with both worry and anticipation.

He couldn't stay in one place for long. The excitement he'd felt since he'd gone on his first mission with Hongjoong and Yunho just yesterday was still as present as ever. It'd been a nice day with him and Hongjoong going on another date later on, and let's just say that night ended up being one of his favourites.

And now he was back here in Twilight for the Christmas season, nearly bursting with excitement. He could see Yeosang and Wooyoung a feet away arguing about which appetizer to choose from first, and San and Hongjoong had left a while ago to get some drinks. He also had absolutely no idea where Yunho and Mingi had scurried off to, but he was glad Mingi really seemed to enjoy Yunho's company.

Seonghwa smiled at the large cheery Santa plushie situated in a sled at the corner. It was surrounded by a bunch of fluffy reindeers, its clothes bunched up in fairy-lights that twinkled with every shade imaginable. Seonghwa rubbed his arms, admittedly impressed with the effort the people around here always put into their events.

A blond male walked into Seonghwa right then, causing him to instinctively take a step back. He looked at the person, ready to mumble an apology when he saw... _himself_?

Seonghwa's eyes enlarged in shock. The boy in front of him was a mirror image of himself, the only difference being his pure white suit, the colour of his hair and his lava red eyes.

The male paused as well, his lips curling into an entertained smirk. He scanned Seonghwa from head to toe, the mania in his ruby speckled gaze making him appear almost _deranged_. Seonghwa briefly wondered if he was hallucinating again.

" _Wow_ ," the blond male whistled as he crossed his arms. "I should also try red hair sometime, thanks for the heads up."

Seonghwa was speechless. _What the hell was going on_?

"Park Seonghwa," his doppelganger introduced, extending a hand that looked _exactly_ like Seonghwa's. "That's my name. I'm guessing it's yours too."

Seonghwa shook his hand, but he couldn't find it within himself to say anything of value.

" _Babe, there you are_!"

Seonghwa froze just as someone collided with the blond version of him, their arms tightly gripping on to his body as his mirror image twirled them around.

"Say hello to _other_ Seonghwa, darling."

If Seonghwa wasn't hadn't been petrified before, _now_ he was. He rapidly blinked in bewilderment as his eyes met with Hongjoong's, who apparently now had _pink hair_.

"Hi, Other Seonghwa!" Pink-haired Hongjoong brightly grinned and waved at him with vigour.

To make matters even stranger, _another_ Hongjoong showed up at that moment. But his short dark hair, slit eyebrow and less than amused expression let Seonghwa know in a matter of seconds that this Hongjoong was _his_ Hongjoong.

Their eyes met, and Seonghwa got the push to finally speak up. "What the fuck is happening?"

Blond Seonghwa laughed, the sound even the same as his. It was so weird and disconcerting. "We're your doubles."

"Yeah, we are," the Hongjoong by his side added. He looked like the much brighter, strawberry-bubblegum version of Hongjoong, all glitters and spacebuns and rainbow hairclips. He even had this lacey white dress on that... _honestly_ , Seonghwa wouldn't have minded seeing on _his_ boyfriend.

"They're our alternate universe doubles," _his_ Hongjoong was saying, oblivious as ever to Seonghwa's less than innocent thoughts. "Sometimes that happens and you find someone that looks exactly like you when travelling to other dimensions."

"What Hongjoong said," blond haired Seonghwa spoke. "I didn't think we'd meet again tonight."

 _So Hongjoong had already met them before_? Seonghwa thought.

The shorter passed him a drink, looking a bit apologetic. "I didn't think so too. Anyway, _my_ Seonghwa and I have to go now."

"See ya!" Pink-haired Hongjoong exclaimed, squealing when Seonghwa's doppelganger teasingly nibbled on his neck. " _Angel, that tickles_..."

Hongjoong had already begun pulling Seonghwa away, the taller's face tomato-red at the borderline provocative scene he'd just witnessed.

"Are they dating too?" Seonghwa asked, finding his voice.

"Since last year."

" _Since last year_?" Seonghwa's eyes nearly burst out of their eyesockets. "Wait -- so you knew they were together all this time but didn't say anything?"

Hongjoong smiled, trying to act all oblivious. "Them being together since then has no bearing whatsoever on whether _we_ would've ended up together. They just happen to have the same name and the same appearance as us. What? Did you want us to date long before now too?"

Seonghwa rubbed his neck, cringing at how warm it felt. "...No? Yes?"

"Gosh, Hwa," Hongjoong pulled him close, caressing the flesh of the older's waist in that way he loved so much. "At least we're together _now_. And there's no place else I'd rather be than with you." He grinned, only for his face to fall a couple seconds later. "Also, sorry about what you saw back there. I had no idea I could be _that_ annoying."

Seonghwa chuckled, hearing the new song the orchestra had started to play. It was a slower, nostalgic sounding one this time. "What's wrong with pink haired Hongjoong? He's cute."

"Cuter than me?" Hongjoong's golden eyes narrowed.

Seonghwa spun the shorter boy around to the music, both teens giggling at his actions. "No one can ever be cuter than you."

"Except for _you_ ," Hongjoong finished, making Seonghwa blush embarrassingly again.

"We should go look for our friends," Seonghwa said in an attempt to quench the heat in his cheeks and the flames in his heart.

"Yes, we should. But you owe me a dance later."

"I promise."

A few portions of food and far too many drinks later, Seonghwa and Hongjoong were giggling, tangled messes in the back garden. Their friends cheered them on as they shouted along to the lyrics of _Genie_ by Girls Generation, somehow managing to slow dance to the song even when they'd stumbled on each other countless times over. It was crazy, but in a _really_ good way.

Along the line Wooyoung and Mingi had joined them, but then they had to stop pretty soon because they'd actually _succeeded_ in getting even _more_ intoxicated than the two lovebirds.

"I love... _you_!" Seonghwa muttered against Hongjoong's shoulder, tracing his fingers over those recently tattooed orchids on his skin. Both males, as well as the others, were now passed out drunk inside the large vehicle designated to bring them back home.

Hongjoong held Seonghwa's hand, before lazily bringing it up to his lips and kissing it. Their bracelets shone blue and orange in the dark. "I love you _moreee_."

"I love _youu_ more."

"No _I_ do."

" _Shhh_!" San hissed from where he'd curled next to Wooyoung. "Youngie's trying to _sleep_."

San was a dear friend of his, but at that moment, Seonghwa wanted nothing more than to throw a pillow at his face. He pouted. "Joong... San's being mean."

"Don't be a meanie to Seonggie, San," Hongjoong threatened, but it was hard to take him (and everyone else for that matter) seriously with how high-pitched his voice had gotten. "Or I'll..." He made a lackluster exploding motion with his hand, "I'll do that to you..."

San didn't answer. He'd probably already fallen asleep.

Silence prevailed once again, but Seonghwa shattered it before long.

" _I_ _looove_ _you._ " He kissed Hongjoong's chin.

"I _looove_ you too, Seonggie."

Someone -- _most likely San_ \-- threw a jacket over them. But, it didn't stop them from laughing it off as they continued to declare their neverending love for each other.

"I wanna kiss you _right_ _now_ ," Hongjoong huffed like a little kid.

"I wanna kiss you _too_ , Joongie."

"Someone get the axe," Yunho -- of all people -- spoke up. Fortunately for the rest of their friends, his words _finally_ got Hongjoong and Seonghwa to stop talking.

It was hard to believe they'd gone from hating each other's guts, to now talking about how badly they wanted to kiss one another all night, but it was a change Seonghwa didn't mind in the slightest.

He smiled when he felt Hongjoong kissing his forehead, the peaceful thrum of the shorter's heartbeat soon lulling him to sleep.

_Mom, I think I'm happy now._

**FIN**.


End file.
